ABSTRACT
International migration is, perhaps, the most written subject on African football using several theories, from dependency to world system theory, in order to explain the mass emigration of African football talent from the continent to elsewhere, particularly to Europe and Asia. However, the reality is that most migrating African footballers change location not from Africa to Europe or Asia. Instead, they change location within their home countries. Because this book is about domestic football in Africa and not about African migrant players in Europe, we focus this chapter on intranational migration of African football labor within the professional leagues on the continent. In doing so, the chapter explores the cultural environment and other factors in the African elite leagues that motivate or constrain migration. Finally, the chapter investigates how the footballer’s family impacts migration decisions.
