Across the global football ecosystem, African academies have emerged as indispensable suppliers of elite talent to Europe’s top clubs. The so-called hidden pipeline refers to the integrated system often non-transparent and commercially significant through which African young players transition from local academies into European club football. Anatomy of the African Development Pipeline2.1 Academy FoundationsAfrican academies fall into three broad categories:Club-affiliated Academies: Operated by European clubs on African soil (e.g., Right to Dream linked to FC Nordsjælland; West African Football Academy and associations with Aalborg BK). Conclusion: Reframing the Pipeline as PartnershipThe narrative around African academies must shift from one of extraction to one of mutual advancement. Only through deliberate reform can this pipeline be fully harnessed as a sustainable engine of development for African football.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 25, 2026 02:37 UTC