Nearly 30% of players at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco were born in Europe, highlighting African nations' growing dependence on diaspora talent. Comoros fields almost an entire squad from Europe, while hosts Morocco and others like Algeria lead this trend.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted in Morocco, showcases a significant influx of players born outside Africa, particularly in Europe. Of the 664 players across 24 teams, 191—or 28.8%—were born in Europe. This reflects how many African countries are bolstering their squads with talent from migrant communities abroad.
Tiny Comoros, set to face hosts Morocco in Rabat on Sunday, has 25 of its 26 players born in Europe, drawing heavily from the Marseille community. This marks their second tournament appearance. Morocco itself has a majority of its squad born abroad, with players from Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Spain. Its goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, was born in Canada. Algeria features 16 Europe-born players, mostly from France, plus others from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, supported by robust scouting networks.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Equatorial Guinea also rely heavily on such talent, with the latter having 19 of 28 players from Spain, its former colonial power. This strategy has elevated Equatorial Guinea's participation, reaching five finals in the last eight editions. Half of Senegal's squad shares this background, while players from Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, and even the US (Sudan's Amar Taifour) add to the diversity.
This trend stems from FIFA rule changes around 20 years ago, allowing dual nationals to switch allegiance after junior levels. A later amendment permitted changes after non-competitive senior caps, as seen with Wilfried Zaha, who moved from England to Ivory Coast. In contrast, Botswana, Egypt, and South Africa field entirely home-born squads.
