Socioeconomic analysis of African footballers’ migration to Europe

European Union’s (EU’s) decision to enact rules and laws to support the free movement of sports workers, like professional footballers in EU space is different from African governments, which barely enact policies to support the socioeconomic development of sport, particularly football in their countries. However, African governments have persistently used football to achieve their domestic policies and electoral strategies in proclaiming liberation from former colonial powers. This asymmetric socioeconomic development of sport in Africa and the EU informed the study to explore how African governments can adopt appropriate policies on sport to create socioeconomic growth and opportunities for its populace. Our research on African footballers analyzes the case of West African players’ migration to Europe and the uneven growth of football markets in Africa and EU. Findings reveal that the migration of African players to Europe is linked to the weak African football structures and the economic transformation of the European football market. Here, footballers have adapted their strategies and ambitions to the situation, the rules and the means that the new football market, European clubs and structures (e.g., academies, agents, scouts, etc.) offer to them.