Top 10 Highest Paying Football Leagues In Africa

Which are the highest-paying football leagues in Africa? It is a well-known fact that European leagues come first in terms of salaries and allowances payment for their players, while here in Africa there’s a huge contrast to that conversation about player’s payment.

Winning major trophies while playing for European clubs is more often than not the only reason why African footballers want to leave the shores of the continent, seeking greener pastures is also part of the major reasons they move abroad.

However, while we all are aware that European leagues pay better, there are also some African leagues that make sure clubs in the league pay their players awesomely.

Highest Paying Football Leagues In Africa

Tanzania Premier League

The Tanzania Mainland Premier League is also known as Ligi Kuu. It is the top-level of professional football league in the country and it is created by the Tanzania Football Federation.

The league has been in existence since 1965 as the National League before it was later changed to First Division Soccer League and to the Premier League in 1997.

For those who don’t know how much some of the players plying their trade in the Tanzania league earn, some earn a decent salary reported to be around $5,000 per month.

Mocambola

The Mozambique Premier League may not be as rich and lucrative as the North African leagues and other African leagues that pay well. But the league also ranks among the top African leagues that paid their players awesomely in terms of salaries and bonuses.

For a professional player who is earning in the region of $5,000 per month in the Mocambola topflight league that simply means the league isn’t doing badly in terms of remuneration for footballers who are playing in the league.

Ethiopian Premier League

The Ethiopian Premier League is also known as the BetKing Ethiopian Premier League for sponsorship reasons, and it is the top-tier football league run by the Ethiopian Football Federation.

The league is contested by sixteen clubs and it operates on a relegation and promotion system with the other secondary and tertiary leagues in Ethiopia. St George S.C is one of the most successful sides in the league with over 16 trophies, which means they’re one of the best in terms of salaries and bonuses payment for players.

As reported by the media a player is said to earn in the region of $7,000 per month which looks decent enough compare to what some leagues will pay in Africa.

Zambian Super League

The Zambian Super League can boast of a major telecommunication company as big as MTN sponsoring the league with the winners of the league realizing they’re taking home something lucrative at the end of each campaign.

The league is organized by the association of football in the country and it was created in 1962 by the football association of Zambia. The league is contested by 18 teams every season and it runs from August to May.

In terms of players’ salaries and bonuses, the Zambian Super League clubs pay their players awesomely with a take-home of at least $7,000 per month reportedly.

Sudan Premier League

The Sudanese Premier League is the top division of the country’s Football Association and it was created in 1965. The league also runs from August to May with 18 teams contesting to emerge champion at the end of the campaign.

The Sudan Premier League also runs a relegation system just like other African leagues. The interesting thing about the league is that teams in league pay their players really well, as a matter of it was reported that some go home with nothing less than $15,000 per month.

Vodacom Ligue 1

The Vodacom Ligue 1 is the top division of the Congolese Association Football Federation. It was created in 1958 with teams like TP Mazembe, DC Motema Pembe, and AS Vita Club being the most famous sides in the country.

TP Mazembe is the most successful club in the country with 19 titles, as such with a rich owner ready to finance the club the Congolese giant remains one of the best clubs in Africa that pays well.

Girabola

Girabola or Campeonato Nacional de Futebol em Seniores Masculinos is the top division of Angola football. The top-flight league is organized by the Angolan Football Federation.

The league is contested by 16 teams every season with the relegated team going down to the Segundona which is the second tier of the country’s topflight football league.

For the players who ply their trade in the Angola Girabola, some of these players earn close to $25,000 which looks more lucrative compared to some leagues in Africa.

Botola Pro 1

The Botola Pro 1 is a Moroccan professional league for men at the top of the league system in the country. It is the country’s primary football competition contested by 16 clubs every season.

The league also operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Botola 2 which is the second tier of the Moroccan football league. The Moroccan Botola runs from August to May with teams in the league playing 30 games each before the champion of the league will emerge.

The Moroccan topflight has produced the second-highest number of Caf Champions League titles with three Moroccan clubs winning seven trophies in total. As such for a league as successful as the Botola Pro 1 with multi-million sponsorships, paying the players playing in the league won’t be a problem for them.

Tunisian Ligue 1

The Tunisian Professionnelle Ligue is the top division of football tournaments in the country under the organization of the Tunisian Football Federation.

Been one of the best well-run leagues in Africa quite a number of brilliant players had and stilling gracing the league with their talents. Some of the major clubs that play in the Tunisian Ligue 1 are the likes of Esperance de Tunis, Etoile du Sahel Club Sfax Railways, etc.

At the clubs mentioned above, players playing in the league earn an average of $30, 000, reason why some of their players don’t leave their country for greener pastures in Europe is that they’re well paid and they feel comfortable playing at home.

Egyptian Premier League

The Egyptian topflight league has been one of the best leagues in Africa with iconic teams like Al Ahly and Zamalek being the face of the league it shouldn’t be a surprise to see them paying their players well.

The league comprises 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Egyptian second division. The league also runs its season calendar just like the European leagues from August to May.

According to a fact about the league, some players playing in the league earn close $1,200,000 annually which is a mouthwatering take home that gives credence to how lucrative the league is for players plying their trade in the Egyptian topflight league.

This article was updated 7 months ago