“Europe needs African football, but does African football need Europe” Alasdair Howorth asks, leaning back in his chair. A British-Kenyan journalist who has covered African football for years, he doesn’t hesitate to challenge the dominant narratives. “We celebrate African players in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A… but why aren’t we celebrating African leagues in the same way?”
He pauses, then answers his own question. “Because the system is built to take from Africa, not to build it.”
For decades, Africa has supplied Europe with the footballing brilliance of scores of household names including George Weah**,** Drogba, Mané, Salah, Osimhen. But while these stars fill stadiums and generate billions in broadcasting revenue abroad, the leagues they come from remain underfunded and overlooked.
In Europe, African players are everywhere. More than 500 are signed to clubs in the top five leagues alone. In the last decade, at least five African-born players have made it to the Ballon d’Or podium. Victor Osimhen, who left Nigeria’s Ultimate Strikers Academy for Wolfsburg before becoming Napoli’s most expensive signing, is now valued at over €120 million.
But where are the African clubs in this equation? The continent’s biggest teams—Al Ahly, Raja Casablanca, TP Mazembe—have won multiple continental trophies. Yet, their annual budgets pale in comparison to even mid-table European clubs. “Al Ahly has won the CAF Champions League a record 11 times,” Alasdair Howorth notes. “But financially? They can’t compete with a club like Brentford.”
African football, as Alasdair describes it, is a tale of two worlds. On one side, there’s the international stage, where countries like Nigeria, Morocco, and Senegal have captured the imagination of fans worldwide. “The cultural capital of these nations is immense,” he says. “Think about the Nigerian national team—their kits are iconic, their players are global superstars, and their fans are some of the most passionate in the world.”
But on the other side lies African club football, a realm that remains largely invisible to the outside world. “Club football in Africa is where the real stories are,” Alasdair insists. “Yet, there’s very little interest from outside the continent, and even within Africa, the focus is often myopic. Fans tend to care only about their local clubs and leagues.”
He cites the example of Al Hilal, one of Sudan’s most storied football clubs, which has been forced to play its home games in Mauritania, thousands of miles from Sudan, due to the ongoing civil war. “This is an incredible story,” Alasdair Howorth says.
“Al Hilal has not only survived but thrived, reaching the quarterfinals of the CAF Champions League for the first time in over a decade. Yet, outside of Sudan, very few people know about it.”
The Harsh Reality of African Club Football
African football clubs face an uphill battle against financial mismanagement, political interference, and systemic corruption. “Many clubs aren’t just struggling to compete—they’re fighting to stay afloat”, Alasdair says.
Raja Casablanca, once at the pinnacle of African football, now finds itself in turmoil. The club faces instability after its former president, Mohamed Boudrika, was arrested in Germany and now faces extradition for financial crimes. The club’s executive office saw multiple unexpected changes in January, further deepening the crisis. Meanwhile, rival Wydad Casablanca faces similar turmoil after its president, Said Naciri, was arrested in a corruption investigation, leaving the club leaderless.
“These are the biggest clubs in Morocco,” Alasdair says. “And they’re both on the verge of collapse.”
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, TP Mazembe, Known for their five CAF Champions League titles, Mazembe once stood as the model of a well-run African club. Today, they are struggling to keep their best players and maintain its status as a continental powerhouse.
African Clubs Are Selling Their Future for Pennies
Financial instability has hit clubs like Raja Casablanca, Wydad Casablanca, and TP Mazembe hard, forcing key players to leave due to unpaid wages. In 2024, Raja lost stars like Mohammed Ounnajem and Badr Benoun, while TP Mazembe faced a similar crisis with Rainford Kalaba and Daniel Nii Adjei. This talent exodus weakens their competitiveness, often leading to players being sold for minimal fees or leaving for free.
“Europe doesn’t just take the best players—it takes them young,” Alasdair Howorth explains. “If you’re a talented African footballer, your only real option is to leave. It’s not just about ambition—it’s survival”.
He points to Victor Osimhen, now valued at over €120 million. “Osimhen left Nigeria’s Ultimate Strikers Academy for Europe as a teenager. Nigeria saw none of the wealth he generated,” Alasdair says. “This is the reality: Africa produces world-class players, but African clubs never get to benefit.”
Pape Matar Sarr, a rising star from Senegal’s Generation Foot, was sold for just €1.5 million before joining Tottenham, as reported by BBC Sport. Similarly, Moses Simon, a Nigerian talent, was transferred from AS Trencin for a mere €3.5 million, according to Transfermarkt. Another notable case is Percy Tau, who left South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns for just €3 million—a figure far below his true market value, as highlighted by ESPN.
Who tell Africa’s real story?
Despite the richness of these stories, covering African football is no easy task. “The biggest challenge is the lack of resources,” Alasdair Howorth explains. “European media dominates the global football narrative, and their interest in African football is often superficial.
He recalls covering the Women’s AFCON in Morocco, where he encountered the challenges of navigating media narratives. “I pitched a story on Barbara Banda, the Zambian captain and one of the best players in the world,” he says. “But all the media outlets wanted to talk about was her gender identity and high testosterone levels. There was no interest in her as a footballer or as a person.”
This, Alasdair argues, is symptomatic of a broader issue. “European media often reduces African football to simplistic narratives—whether it’s colorful fans, corruption, or tragedy,” he says. “Our job as journalists is to push back against these stereotypes while still being honest about the challenges African football faces.”
As our conversation draws to a close, Alasdair Howorth reflects on the power of football to inspire and unite. “African football is full of incredible stories—stories of resilience, passion, and hope,” he says. “But these stories won’t tell themselves. It’s up to us as journalists to bring them to light.”
Kaoutar Alaidi
A Moroccan sports journalist based in London, currently serving as the football writer for Sports Gazette. With a passion for international sports journalism, football, and Formula 1, she has covered numerous football matches over the past three years. Alongside her journalism career, Kaoutar is particularly focused on football marketing, player transfers, and market value analysis.
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