This paper presents a unified tensor model for space–frequency spreading-multiplexing (SFSM) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication systems that combine space- and frequency-domain spreadings, followed by a space–frequency multiplexing. Spreading across space (transmit antennas) and frequency (subcarriers) adds resilience against deep channel fades and provides space and frequency diversities, while orthogonal space–frequency multiplexing enables multi-stream transmission. We adopt a tensor-based formulation for the proposed SFSM MIMO system that incorporates space, frequency, time, and code dimensions by means of the parallel factor model. The developed SFSM tensor model unifies the tensorial formulation of some existing multiple-access/multicarrier MIMO signaling schemes as special cases, while revealing interesting tradeoffs due to combined space, frequency, and time diversities which are of practical relevance for joint symbol-channel-code estimation. The performance of the proposed SFSM MIMO system using either a zero forcing receiver or a semi-blind tensor-based receiver is illustrated by means of computer simulation results under realistic channel and system parameters.