Osimhen Among Highest-Paid African Footballers in 2026 — See Full List

The highest-paid African footballers in 2026 continue to earn staggering wages, with stars in the Saudi Pro League dominating the rankings due to lucrative contracts. From Riyad Mahrez to Mohamed Salah, African players remain among the top earners in global football, earning hundreds of thousands of pounds weekly.

Leading the list is Riyad Mahrez, who earns an estimated £827,000–£886,000 per week at Al-Ahli, making him the highest-paid African footballer. He is followed by Sadio Mané, who earns around £630,000–£680,000 weekly at Al-Nassr.

Defender Kalidou Koulibaly earns about £550,000–£590,000 weekly at Al-Hilal, making him the highest-paid African defender. In Europe, Mohamed Salah continues to command massive wages of £350,000–£400,000 per week at Liverpool FC.

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Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen earns between £250,000–£318,000 weekly at Galatasaray, making him one of the highest-paid Nigerian footballers.

Midfielder Franck Kessié and defender Achraf Hakimi both earn just over £220,000 per week, playing for Al-Ahli and Paris Saint-Germain respectively.

Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy earns up to £200,000 weekly, while Iñaki Williams takes home about £180,000 per week at Athletic Bilbao. Veteran striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang completes the list with weekly earnings of £150,000–£160,000 at Al-Qadsiah.

Top 10 Highest-Paid African Footballers (2026) – Weekly Salaries

The rankings underline the growing dominance of the Saudi Pro League, which now offers significantly higher wages than most European leagues, attracting top African talent. Only a few players, such as Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi, remain among the top earners in Europe.

Osimhen Among Highest-Paid African Footballers in 2026 — See Full List

Adesanya Vows to Fight On Despite Fourth Straight Defeat

Nigerian-born mixed martial artist Israel Adesanya has reaffirmed his determination to continue competing at the highest level, insisting that recent setbacks will not define his legacy.

Adesanya suffered another defeat in the octagon on Saturday night, losing to American contender Joe Pyfer via second-round technical knockout at a UFC Fight Night event in Seattle.

The contest began on a promising note for the former middleweight champion, who displayed his signature precision and movement in the opening round. Adesanya controlled the distance effectively and dictated the pace of exchanges, raising hopes of a return to winning form.

However, the tide turned in the second round as Pyfer absorbed the early pressure and began to assert his physical advantage. The American closed the distance with powerful strikes before securing a crucial takedown. From a dominant position on the ground, he mounted Adesanya and unleashed a series of heavy blows, forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the fight.

The victory marks a significant milestone for Pyfer, while extending a challenging run for Adesanya, who has now suffered four consecutive losses. His recent defeats include bouts against Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, and Nassourdine Imavov.

Despite growing concerns about his future in the middleweight division, the 36-year-old remained defiant in his post-fight comments, emphasizing his unwavering fighting spirit.

“I’ll keep coming back again and again. I’m not leaving this sport. You can’t stop me,” Adesanya declared, adding that defeat would not diminish his enduring belief in himself.

While questions continue to mount over his next steps, Adesanya’s resolve suggests he is far from ready to step away from the sport that has defined his career.

Adesanya Vows to Fight On Despite Fourth Straight Defeat

Super Eagles Edge Iran 2–1 in Antalya Friendly

Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles, began their March international break on a winning note with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Iran in an international friendly at the Antalya Stadium in Turkey on Friday, March 27.

The three-time African champions made a bright start, asserting their dominance early in the encounter. Winger Moses Simon opened the scoring in the sixth minute after latching onto a swift counterattack, evading his marker before slotting a low shot into the bottom-left corner.

Nigeria continued to press forward, creating several chances and maintaining control for much of the first half, though they were unable to extend their lead before the break.

The Super Eagles doubled their advantage shortly after the restart. In the 51st minute, Ademola Lookman provided a precise through pass to Akor Adams, who calmly finished to make it 2–0.

Head coach Eric Chelle utilized the friendly to test new options, handing debuts to Emmanuel Fernandez and Chibuike Nwaiwu, who came on for Semi Ajayi and Igoh Ogbu respectively. Later substitutions saw Paul Onuachu, Chidera Ejuke and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru introduced in place of Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon and Akor Adams, while Frank Onyeka also featured late on.

Iran reduced the deficit in the closing stages, setting up a nervy finish, but Nigeria held firm to secure the victory.

The match marked Nigeria’s first outing since finishing third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and comes after the disappointment of missing out on World Cup qualification following a penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo.

Friday’s encounter was only the third meeting between both nations. Nigeria previously defeated Iran in a 1998 friendly, while their group-stage clash at the 2014 FIFA World Cup ended in a goalless draw.

The Super Eagles will now shift focus to their next friendly fixture against Jordan on Tuesday, also scheduled to take place in Turkey.

Super Eagles Edge Iran 2–1 in Antalya Friendly