Saudi Beating Europe in Africa Football Migration?

The English Premier League (EPL) was the choice destination for African footballers. In an analysis carried out on 11 prominent top-tier leagues and their African nationals as of November 23, 2021, globally-renowned audit firm, KPMG reported that there are over 500 African footballers in European leagues. 

French League 1 contracts the highest number of African footballers with 107, Belgian Pro League (82), Turkish Süper Lig (82), Portuguese Primeira Liga (48), English Premier League (44), Italian Serie A (42), German Bundesliga (29), Dutch Eredivise (28), Spanish LaLiga (25) Russian Premier Liga (18) and Austrian Bundesliga (9). 

This was when the Premier League was seen as a Greenland where many African players wanted to show their skills and hope to have a successful spell. All of that has changed in recent times with young footballers from the continent increasingly being drawn towards the Saudi Pro League. As it stands currently, over 50 talent from across Africa are spread around the division's 18 teams. Heavyweight footballers currently plying their craft in the Kingdom include: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez, Kalidou Koulibaly and William Troost-Ekong. 

There are also Morocco’s Abderrazak Hamdallah, Yassine Bounou, Cameroon forward Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, The Gambia's Musa Barrow, and Nigeria’s Henry Onyekuru. The fact that these stars left EPL for Saudi clubs is making such a switch a fad for upstarts in the game. In recent years, the football world has seen a remarkable increase in massive payouts, driven by growing investment and involvement from Gulf countries. For instance, Sadio Mane's move to Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, placed him as one of the highest-earning African footballers.

Africa offers a vibrant and diverse pool of prodigious talent which the world came to terms with in 1995 when Liberia’s George Weah won the biggest individual award, the Ballon D’ Or. Coming close to winning the Golden Boot again was Senegalese ace, Sadio Mane who was announced second runner-up in 2022. Didier Drogba came in fourth in the 2007 edition, while Samuel Eto’o who finished 5th in 2009 was nominated 10 times for the award in his career. Mohammed Salah, the Egyptian prince, came fifth in the 2022 edition of the award. 

Despite the impressive array of raw talent, Africa has remained a hunting ground for talent by agents from other regions in the world, essentially due to the nature of the sports ecosystem in Africa, which has yet to develop a fair and representational value chain. Scouts from oil-rich Saudi Arabia are cashing in, relying on exposure-hungry African players to get the Pro League to the level of, if not more than, the EPL. This global visibility presented by these offers has seen African youngsters benefit from substantially improved wages compared to the past.

What Changed the Dynamics? 

Credit: PulseSports

Middle Eastern clubs, particularly those in the Saudi Pro League (SPL), have successfully attracted numerous players of African descent with lucrative offers, making some of them among the highest-paid footballers globally. Apart from this, another major factor that has altered the course of football migration is the relaxed environment and increased foreign player quota of the Saudi pro league, including slots for young talent, which has made the Middle Eastern country quite an attractive destination. 

The number of foreign players that Saudi Pro League clubs are allowed to sign has now risen to 10, up from eight last season and seven in the penultimate season. While each Pro League team can sign ten foreign players, two of these must be born in 2003 or later. As could be seen with the January transfer window, this latitude has encouraged the signing of younger players directly from Africa.

Al-Kholood signed Nigerian midfielder Ambrose Ochigbo from Tunisia club ES Zarzis, while title outsiders Al-Qadsiah brought in 18-year-old striker Jerry Afriyie from Ghanaian second-tier side Thoughts FC.

Why African Footballers are Increasingly Ditching English Premier League for Saudi Pro

For African players who are making this leap, Saudi allows them to discover a new championship, experience a new culture, and give themselves a new chance to raise their level of play. This results in massive international visibility increases the chances of these players getting spotted and signed by more prestigious clubs.

Financial Revolution and Player Value: The deep pocket of Saudi Pro League has fundamentally altered the landscape of the world’s professional football. The remuneration offered to players substantially exceeds their European earnings, yet with lesser tax burdens. Players are increasingly considering the entire value proposition, including signing bonuses, commercial opportunities, and tax benefits. The financial security offered allows players to focus on national team commitments without club pressure, a significant factor for African players who often face challenging decisions between club and country.

Geographic proximity: The shorter distance between Africa and Saudi Arabia compared to Europe is a major inducement for players leaving the European Premier League. The reduced travel time for international duties which doesn’t include jet lag makes it easier for them to maintain connections with home countries. 

Cultural Compatibility and Lifestyle Factors: For many African players, particularly adherent of the Muslim faith, Saudi Arabia offers a more familiar cultural environment than European cities. Players like Koulibaly have spoken about the ease of practising their religion and the cultural alignment they experience. 

Also speaking in this wise, Onyekuru, who won 15 caps for Nigeria between 2017 and 2022, said, “The lifestyle and the culture help. Some African players like clubbing a lot but here you can't do that. Here it is more about training and then going home, rest, watch a movie, waiting for the game the next day, train and so on.

"With all this, you can focus more. So here you can sleep well, train well and play well." 

Credit: Sportsdunia 

Future Implications on African Football

The long-term implications of this drift towards the Middle East extend beyond the career of individual players. Prominent African players settling for Saudi Arabia could greatly influence the aspirations and career planning of younger talent. The traditional European development pathway might evolve, with Saudi Arabia becoming a legitimate alternative rather than just a retirement destination.

The growing trend of African players choosing Saudi Arabia represents more than just financial opportunism. It reflects changing priorities in professional football, where career decisions increasingly balance sporting, cultural, and lifestyle factors. While the long-term impact on African football development remains to be seen, this shift has already begun reshaping how players approach their careers.

The success or failure of this prevalent career choice will likely become apparent in the coming years, as we observe how players maintain their competitive levels and contribute to their national teams. What’s clear is that the traditional European-centric career model is no longer the only path for African football talent, creating opportunities as well as challenges for the future of African football.