Why the WSL Has Just Four African Players — and What Needs to Change

The Women's Super League attracts talent from across the globe, yet only four African players feature in the division. Priya Patel examines the barriers holding the continent back.

The Women's Super League has never been more international. Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas has arrived at London City Lionesses. Chelsea have added United States internationals Alyssa Thompson and Naomi Girma. Manchester City boast Japan captain Yui Hasegawa as one of the division's most influential midfielders. Europe, North America and Asia are all well represented — yet one of football's most talent-rich continents remains almost invisible in England's top flight.

Right now, just four African players are registered in the WSL: Chiamaka Nnadozie and Aisha Masaka at Brighton and Hove Albion, Rofiat Imuran at London City Lionesses, and Ines Belloumou at West Ham United. Four players across twelve clubs, from a continent of 54 nations and more than a billion people. The question worth asking is not whether the talent exists — it clearly does — but why the pipeline remains so narrow.

The talent is already proving itself elsewhere

African players are not being overlooked by professional football in general; they are simply being signed by clubs elsewhere. The National Women's Soccer League in the United States has moved quickly and decisively. Zambia forward Racheal Kundananji became the most expensive women's footballer in the world at the time when she joined Bay FC from Madrid CFF for £685,000 in 2024. Her compatriot Barbra Banda, playing for Orlando Pride, was named BBC Women's Footballer of the Year that same year. Washington Spirit alone currently field six African internationals.

Temwa Chawinga won both the NWSL Golden Boot and the Most Valuable Player award in her first two seasons with Kansas City Current. Her sister, Malawi captain Tabitha Chawinga, plays for Lyon — one of the most decorated clubs in European women's football. Cameroon's standout performer at this year's Women's Africa Cup of Nations, Monique Ngock, is at Washington Spirit. The quality is not in doubt. The pathways to England are.

Visa rules, wages and scouting gaps

One of the most concrete obstacles is the Governing Body Endorsement system used to issue work visas for foreign players in England. Points are accumulated across five categories, including international caps, Women's Champions League appearances, and the ranking of a player's former club. Because many African domestic leagues sit outside UEFA's ecosystem and carry lower club rankings, talented players can struggle to meet the threshold — even if their performances at international level are exceptional.

WSL clubs must then compete financially with NWSL sides that are currently outspending them to attract Africa's best players. Scouting budgets are also a factor: the resource dedicated to monitoring players in Africa is limited compared to what is spent across European leagues, where the infrastructure for recruitment is already well established.

Visibility and the broadcast problem

Coverage of women's football across the African continent remains inconsistent, and that has knock-on effects for how scouts, broadcasters and fans in England engage with the game there. This year's Wafcon in Morocco was disrupted before it even began — postponed just 12 days before the scheduled start — and broadcast arrangements in the UK caused confusion after the Confederation of African Football named Channel 4 as its UK partner, only for no matches to be shown live in the opening round while a formal agreement was still being finalised.

Switzerland captain Lia Wälti, who signed for Brighton this summer, spoke to BBC Sport about the broader issue of women's football visibility. She argued that bringing the game to audiences — sometimes almost forcing it in front of them — was how interest grew in England, and that poor production quality in other markets made it hard for people to appreciate the speed and tactics of the women's game.

It is a point that resonates when thinking about African football specifically. Nnadozie herself made history last season as the first African goalkeeper to be shortlisted for the Women's Ballon d'Or, and she capped a strong debut WSL campaign with an FA Cup final appearance at Wembley. She is proof of what African players can bring to the English game. The challenge now is for clubs, the FA, CAF and broadcasters to work together to ensure she is no longer quite so rare a sight.

Frequently asked

How many African players are in the WSL?: As of the 2025 season, there are just four African players in the Women's Super League: Chiamaka Nnadozie and Aisha Masaka at Brighton, Rofiat Imuran at London City Lionesses, and Ines Belloumou at West Ham United.
Why don't WSL clubs sign more African players?: The main barriers include the UK's Governing Body Endorsement visa points system, which many African players struggle to meet due to lower club rankings, as well as competition from better-paying NWSL clubs in the United States and limited scouting resources dedicated to African leagues.
What is Wafcon and how did it go in 2025?: Wafcon is the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. The 2025 edition was held in Morocco after being postponed just 12 days before its original start date. Cameroon won the tournament, beating Malawi in the final.