Why the WSL Has Only Four African Players

The Women's Super League (WSL) is widely regarded as one of the best leagues in the world, attracting top talent from across Europe and beyond. This summer, two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas joined London City Lionesses, following a wave of Spanish World Cup winners. Australia captain Sam Kerr made 158 appearances for Chelsea before moving to Gotham, and US stars like Alyssa Thompson, Naomi Girma, Emily Fox, and Sam Coffey have also made the WSL their home. In recent seasons, Asian talent has also arrived, with Japan captain Yui Hasegawa becoming one of the league's standout players at Manchester City.

Yet, despite this global influx, the WSL currently has only four African players: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton, Nigeria), Aisha Masaka (Brighton, Tanzania), Rofiat Imuran (London City Lionesses, Nigeria), and Ines Belloumou (West Ham, Algeria). This scarcity is not due to a lack of talent on the continent, as demonstrated during the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco.

African Talent Shines Elsewhere

While the WSL has few African players, American clubs in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) have shown significant interest, spending heavily on some of the continent's best. Zambia forward Racheal Kundananji became the most expensive women's footballer in 2024 when she joined Bay FC from Madrid CFF for £685,000. Her compatriot Barbra Banda, who plays for Orlando Pride, was voted the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year in 2024.

Cameroon's Wafcon player of the tournament, Monique Ngock, plays for Washington Spirit, where six African internationals currently reside. Temwa Chawinga won the NWSL Golden Boot and MVP awards in her first two seasons with Kansas City Current. Her sister, Malawi captain Tabitha Chawinga, plays for European giants Lyon and helped her country reach the Wafcon final, where they lost to Cameroon. Cameroon's standout goalkeeper, Michaely Bihina, plays for Benfica.

Nnadozie, who became the first African goalkeeper to be shortlisted for the Women's Ballon d'Or, joined Brighton last year and ended her season with an FA Cup final appearance at Wembley against Manchester City.

Barriers to Entry

A major barrier for WSL clubs is the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) criteria in the league's registration rules. Foreign players must earn a minimum number of points across five categories, including national team caps, Women's Champions League appearances, and the ranking of their former clubs. These criteria can be difficult for African players to meet, especially if they play in leagues with lower visibility.

WSL clubs also face competition from NWSL clubs, which offer higher wages and transfer fees. Scouting resources are often prioritised across Europe, leaving Africa under-scouted. Another issue is the lack of coverage of domestic African football and problems with Wafcon broadcasting. This edition saw confusion when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) named Channel 4 as the UK broadcast partner, but no matches were shown live in the opening round as an agreement had not been formally reached. The tournament was also postponed just 12 days before its scheduled start, eventually taking place three months later.

Switzerland captain Lia Walti, who signed for Brighton this summer, told BBC Sport that global coverage of women's football has room for improvement. These factors combine to limit African representation in the WSL, despite the continent's evident talent.