Don't Miss Out On These Incredible African Leagues!

We still ask, do you perhaps wish there were more football stories, controversies and goals to enjoy other than those provided by the English Premier League, La Liga, Italian Serie A, UEFA Champions League, World Cup, Bundesliga and many more? We have a list for you, definitely far from being exhaustive, but one with leagues you would not want to miss.

Absa Premier League (South Africa)

Orlando Pirates celebrate winning the Absa Premiership Final match against Golden Arrows at Orlando Stadium on May 21, 2011 in Soweto, South Africa.

(May 20, 2011 - Source: Gallo Images/Getty Images Europe)

This league proves that the number of years that a league has seen is not anything, if the league has the financial support behind it. True to the fact of its location, in one of Africa’s biggest economic hub, it is valued as the second most valuable league in Africa. In 2007, ABSA sponsored the league with an admirable USD $61 million dollars for five years. Any league that has $12.3M to spend per year is definitely marked for long term sustainability and of course, a position at the top. Above that, the league set itself up on a record deal partnership, the biggest on the continent so far with Supersport that guaranteed windfall of cash. Armed with great teams like Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, this league has 16 teams and 624 players in its belt. Notably, the league has about 17% of its players coming from foreign countries which is the highest rate amongst all African leagues. Here is the uniting characteristic of diversity in soccer at play! Here are even more reasons why you should watch it.

Etisalat Egypt’s Premier League

Hany El Egezy (C) of Al Ahly celebrates with teammates after levelling the scores at 1-1 during the Wembley Cup match between Barcelona and Al Ahly at Wembley Stadium on July 26, 2009 in London, England.

(July 25, 2009 - Source: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Europe)

More than anything, this league is armored with the financial capacity that surpasses all other leagues in the continent. It is valued at €105.65 million and has 18 teams fully participating in it. Just to give a sense of scale of how much it is worth, if all the money that the league is worth were to be spent, it is enough to purchase 400K of Nike soccer boots worth $300  each. It has become the envy of players from across the continent. No wonder Legends like El Hadary were reluctant to leave their country to play European football. This league is sponsored by the telecommunication dominant player Etisalat and ofcourse hosts a myriad of clubs that have become powerhouses of football on the continent. In fact the two most successful clubs in the history of the CAF Champions League, Al Ahly and Zamalek, are domiciled in the Egypt Premier League. These clubs have also been notable for hosting a great deal of Egyptian talent that ends up finding its way in the most known European football leagues.

Mamelodi Sundowns' Teko Modise (R) fights for the ball against Zamalek's Ahmed Hassan (L) during the first length of the CAF Championship final on October 15, 2016 at Atteridgville Stadium in Pretoria. / AFP / STRINGER

(Oct. 14, 2016 - Source: AFP)

Glo Ghanaian Premier League

This league was engulfed by lack of popularity until Globacom, a telecommunication company came with a $23 million sponsorship for five years. In 2009, the Optimum Media Prime signed a viewership deal of USD $90 000. It was ranked as the 11th best league in Africa by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics from 2001-2010. We have the country especially the league to thank for producing stars that have gone on to earn legendary status in African football such as  Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan and Kwadwo Asamoah.

The Nigerian Professional Football League

WIth vasts of the global talent today being Nigerian and the country itself being a host to close to 200 million Africans, its inevitable not to have a lot to talk about from their football league and it sure would be surreal for it not to have a place among the best. The Nigerian Football Federation itself, has encountered a lot of storms over the years that saw the top flight league change names countless times to reinforce the brand identity. In 2012, the NPFL was named the best league in Africa and ranked 24th in the world, above the Scottish Premier League. Since being incorporated by the League Management Company in 2012, signs of upgrade of facilities have been evident. Partnerships with organizers of the La Liga, Liga de Futbol Profesional and the Premier League body of Morocco have since been reached ushering an era of continuous integration into the global football leagues.  The NPFL All Stars (made up of the league’s best players) have since been playing pre-season friendlies with Spanish giants such as Atletico Madrid, Malaga and Valencia to expose the talent as well as improve the fabric of the league.

What is your favorite league? What do you like most about it?

“Just to give a sense of scale of how much it is worth, if all the money that the league is worth were to be spent, it is enough to purchase 400K of Nike soccer boots worth $300  each. It has become the envy of players from across the continent. No wonder Legends like El Hadary were reluctant to leave their country to play European football.”

— Simiso Shabangu, FirstTouch Africa