Throughout history, many African footballers have struggled to sustain themselves beyond their respective football careers due to the low pay on the continent. This has prompted many to seek higher salaries in Europe.
However, Patrice Motsepe, the former chairman of Mamelodi Sundowns, has stated that the newly formed African Football League aims to address this issue. While visiting Angola, Motsepe explained that during his tenure at Mamelodi Sundowns, he observed that big African clubs were able to offer better salaries to players than clubs in Scandinavia.
He emphasized the league’s aim to demonstrate that African players can be paid well and can compete with European countries. He expressed his desire for players to earn as much money as possible, highlighting that the African Football League can compete with the salaries offered in Scandinavian countries for 60% to 80% of the players who play outside of Africa.