Football’s economy no longer moves in straight lines. Careers stretch across continents, contracts are shaped by ambition and leverage, and the idea of where the game’s financial centre sits changes almost every season. African footballers have been at the heart of that shift.
From Europe’s most established institutions to the Saudi Pro League’s fast-rising influence, their value has grown in ways that go far beyond goals and trophies.
The modern African star is no longer framed as a breakout story or a stepping stone.
He is a commercial force, a competitive advantage, and in many cases the highest-paid name in the dressing room. Wages once reserved for a select few now tell a broader story about power, timing, and longevity at the top level.
This ranking looks at the ten highest-earning African footballers in 2026, not through hype or future potential, but through the contracts they are actually paid under today.
10. Inaki Williams
£180,707 a week | Athletic Bilbao | Ghana
In a sport where loyalty is often sold to the highest bidder, he has remained the heartbeat of Athletic Bilbao. Since he broke into the first team, he has been more than just a striker; he is a symbol of the club’s unique philosophy.
His weekly wage of £180,707 is a substantial sum for a Spanish club outside of the “Big Two,” but for Bilbao, it is money well spent to retain a player who embodies their identity so perfectly.
The older Williams brother has been a model of consistency, famously going years without missing a single league game.
Even as his younger brother Nico garners global headlines and massive transfer interest, Inaki remains the veteran leader.
His current deal runs until 2028, and it feels increasingly likely that he will finish his career as a one-club man, a rare feat in the modern game that deserves every bit of the financial reward he receives.
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9. Edouard Mendy
£200,044 a week | Al-Ahli | Senegal
Mendy’s rise to the top of the game was one of football’s great underdog stories, going from unemployment to a Champions League winner’s medal with Chelsea in a matter of years.
However, his time in West London ended abruptly as he moved to Al-Ahli in the summer of 2023. While he left Europe behind, he secured his family’s future with a weekly wage of £200,044.
In the Saudi Pro League, Mendy has proven he is still one of the most reliable shot-stoppers in the business. He has been a constant presence for Al-Ahli, racking up clean sheets and providing a calm veteran presence at the back.
For a goalkeeper who once feared his career was over before it really began, sitting as the highest-paid African keeper in the world is a fitting result for his perseverance.
8. Achraf Hakimi
£227,383 a week | Paris Saint-Germain | Morocco
It is easy to forget that Achraf Hakimi is still only 27 years old. He has already played for Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, and PSG – a resume that reads like a list of European royalty.
At PSG, he’s only available as a right-back; he is a vital attacking outlet who provides the kind of pace and delivery that most wingers would envy.
Earning £227,383 a week, Hakimi is one of the top earners in Paris, and he has more than justified that outlay by helping the club finally find its footing on the European stage.
He remains one of the fastest players ever recorded in professional football, and with a contract that takes him through to 2029, he is the cornerstone of Morocco’s golden generation.
If he were to ever hit the open market, that weekly wage would almost certainly skyrocket even further.
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7. Franck Kessie
£233,385 a week | Al-Ahli | Ivory Coast
Kessie is the kind of midfielder every manager dreams of having. He is a powerhouse in the engine room, a physical presence who can also chip in with vital goals.
After helping AC Milan to a long-awaited Scudetto and a brief, slightly frustrating stint at Barcelona, he made the move to Al-Ahli.
The Saudi side pays him £233,385 a week to dictate play and break up opposition attacks, and the investment has paid off handsomely. Kessie has been one of the most consistent performers in the league, often proving to be the difference-maker in tight games.
His ability to contribute nearly double-digit goals from a central midfield position makes him worth his weight in gold for a team looking to challenge the likes of Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr.
6. Omar Marmoush
£295,000 a week | Manchester City | Egypt
The rise of Omar Marmoush has been one of the biggest stories in the Premier League over the last 12 months.
When Manchester City went looking for a player who could complement Erling Haaland while also providing a genuine goal threat of his own, they landed on the Eintracht Frankfurt star.
Signing for City in January 2025, Marmoush was handed a massive £295,000-a-week contract, reflecting his status as one of the most exciting forwards in the world.
While playing for Pep Guardiola often means rotating in and out of the starting eleven, Marmoush’s impact has been undeniable. He brings a different dimension to the City attack; unselfish, quick, and clinical.
He has filled the void left by Julian Alvarez and then some, proving that there is room for more than one Egyptian superstar at the top of the English game.
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5. Victor Osimhen
£312,569 a week | Galatasaray | Nigeria
For a long time, it felt like Osimhen was the most sought-after striker. After leading Napoli to a historic title, the transfer saga surrounding him seemed to go on forever. In the end, what started as a loan move to Galatasaray turned into a permanent home for the Nigerian superstar.
Osimhen’s new contract in Turkey sees him earn £312,569 a week, a figure that reflects his standing as a world-class “number 9.”
He has become a hero in Istanbul, a city that lives and breathes football.
While many thought he would end up in London or Paris, Osimhen seems content to lead the line for Galatasaray, where he is the undisputed king and is paid accordingly. His deal runs until 2029, ensuring he remains the highest-paid player in the history of Turkish football.
4. Mohamed Salah
£400,000 a week | Liverpool | Egypt
There were times when it looked like Mohamed Salah might finally leave Anfield. The sirens of the Saudi Pro League were screaming his name, offering sums of money that would make even the wealthiest people on earth blink.
In April 2025, Salah decided to stay, signing a new deal worth £400,000 a week to remain the face of Liverpool.
It was a move that delighted the Merseyside faithful, especially after he fired them to another Premier League title in the 2024/25 season.
Salah is more than just a player for Liverpool; he is a goal-scoring machine that shows no signs of slowing down, even as he enters his mid-thirties. He remains the highest-paid player in Liverpool’s history, and given his output, it is hard to argue he is not worth every penny.
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3. Kalidou Koulibaly
£578,461 a week | Al-Hilal | Senegal
When Koulibaly left Chelsea for Al-Hilal, he not only found a new club; he found a kingdom. At 34, the Senegalese captain is earning a mouthwatering £578,461 a week.
While some quarters questioned the move, Koulibaly has been the bedrock of an Al-Hilal side that has dominated the domestic scene.
He is the highest-paid defender in the world, a title he carries with the same composure he shows on the pitch. His presence has transformed Al-Hilal’s backline, making them almost impossible to break down.
For Koulibaly, this contract represents the culmination of a career spent as one of the best defenders in Europe, finally getting the massive financial windfall his talent deserved.
2. Sadio Mane
£666,814 a week | Al-Nassr | Senegal
Mane’s move to Al-Nassr to partner with Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the most high-profile transfers of the Saudi revolution. After a difficult year in Munich, the Senegalese found his smile again in Riyadh, and a weekly wage of £666,814 certainly helped.
He remains one of the most electric and beloved players in African football history.
At Al-Nassr, he provides the perfect foil for Ronaldo, using his pace and intelligence to tear through defences.
Off the pitch, he continues to use his vast earnings to fund hospitals and schools in his home village in Senegal, proving that while the numbers are astronomical, the impact of that wealth goes far beyond the football pitch.
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1. Riyad Mahrez
£870,192 a week | Al-Ahli | Algeria
The Algerian winger, who rose from the French second division to become a Premier League legend with both Leicester City and Manchester City, is now the highest-paid African player in history.
His weekly wage of £870,192 is almost difficult to wrap your head around; it is nearly £45 million a year.
Mahrez was always a luxury player, a man with a first touch that could kill a soaring ball dead and a left foot that could find the top corner from anywhere.
At Al-Ahli, he has continued to produce moments of magic, justifying his gargantuan salary with a steady stream of goals and assists.
