PSL has the most Africa-based players at AFCON 2023

PSL has the most Africa-based players at AFCON 2023
Credit: Icon Sport

There is a constant debate about which league is the best in Africa, with the DSTV Premier Soccer League (PSL) in the thick of these debates.

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2023) is around the corner, and the participating countries are winding down preparations for the African soccer fiesta.

The best African teams will be testing their might for the most valuable trophy on the continent.

AFCON 2023 has thrown up the debate about the quality of players based outside Africa and those on the continent.

The tournament has seen proponents of local players asking for more inclusion of the home-based players in the national teams.

For some countries, it is a no-brainer, while others see it as a non-starter, but where does the PSL rank in the scheme of things?

Which African club has produced the most players going to AFCON 2023?

PSL club, Mamelodi Sundowns has the most players at AFCON 2023

psl club mamelodi sundowns has the most players at afcon
Photo by Icon sport

Which African club has the most players at AFCON 2023?

The title for the African club sending the most players to AFCON is PSL club Mamelodi Sundowns.

The Brazilians, who have a solid reputation in Africa, have 11 players heading to Ivory Coast.

They are followed closely by Pyramids of Egypt with ten, while another Egyptian club – Al Ahly has 9.

Mamelodi Sundowns have ten players in the Bafana Bafana, while Pyramids have seven in the Pharaohs squad.

Below is a table of the African clubs with the most players at AFCON.

African Clubs with the most players at AFCON 2023

# Club League No of players
1 Mamelodi Sundowns PSL 11
2 Pyramids Egypt Premier League 10
3 Al Ahly Egypt Premier League 9
4 Young Africans Tanzania 7
5 Orlando Pirates PSL 6
6 Simba Tanzania 6
7 FC Nouadhibou Mauritania 5
8 Zamalek Egypt Premier League 4
9 Sekhkukhune United PSL 3
10 Zesco United Zambia 3
11 Esperance Tunisia 3
12 Club Africain Tunisia 3
13 TP Mazembe DR Congo 3

The PSL rules the roost with most players to AFCON

pyramids are second behind psl club mamelodi sundowns
Photo by Icon sport

Several countries have opted for players playing in their local league or on the continent to fly their flags in Ivory Coast in a few days.

The breakdown of players in the various squads shows that the PSL has the most players going to the tournament.

The Egyptian Premier League also has several players in the North African country heading to Ivory Coast. So, how many players from the PSL and Egypt will be at AFCON 2023?

Twenty-eight (28) players from the Egyptian Premier League will be in the Ivory Coast, with 19 representing the Pharaohs of Egypt.

The players are from Angola, Burkina Faso, Egypt, DR Congo, Mali, Morocco, Tanzania, Tunisia and South Africa.

While the Egyptian Premier League ties South PSL for the spread of players with nine countries, the South African league has more – 36 heading for AFCON 2023.

The PSL has players from Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Zambia, Namibia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Tanzania and South Africa.

Mamelodi Sundowns leads the rank for PSL teams with Orlando Pirates, Sekhukhune United and SuperSport United represented. Kaizer Chiefs has only one player going for AFCON 2023.

Africa-based players in numbers

al ahly players dominated by psl players at afcon
Photo by Icon sport

A total of 157 players playing on the continent will be vying for honours at the tournament.

Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal are the only teams with wholly foreign-based players in their squad.

South Africa has the most locally based players, with all but only two, Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela, Portugal) and Mihlali Mayambela (Aris Limassol, Cyprus) playing on the continent.

They have 21 players playing in the PSL.

Namibia also has 19 African-based players, while Tanzania has 16. Others with a large presence of local players in their squad are Zambia (13) and Mozambique (12).

This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago

Chooka Izuegbuna is a Sports Journalist with 20 years of experience in print, TV and Radio. He has worked with some of the top media houses in Nigeria, including NTA Network, Channels TV, TVC, Silverbird TV and MITV. Chooka broke his sports reporting teeth with The Game Football Weekly in 2003 as a cartoonist and reporter. Chooka has a passion for football and has been a fan of Enugu Rangers (over 30 years) and Real Madrid (Since 1996).