Financing football players’ careers from Africa to Europe: Does it follow a pecking order?

Purpose This study examines how professional African footballers finance their international careers and proposes an equitable model for distributing earnings among contributors, using the pecking order theory (POT) as a guiding framework. It seeks to determine whether players’ financing behaviour follows a pecking order and how earnings can be fairly shared among stakeholders to reduce conflict. Design/methodology/approach Employing a mixed-methods design, the study draws on in-depth interviews with 36 African footballers from across the CAF zones who have played in over 30 professional leagues in UEFA countries. Primary qualitative data is supported by secondary sources, including player profiles, media reports, club websites and academic publications. Findings The findings reveal that financing players’ careers in Africa follows a pecking order. Footballers initially rely on cheap internal financing sources (family and personal efforts) before turning to external, debt-like and equity-based support (community sponsors, local managers and agents) to pursue professional opportunities abroad. The study proposes a tripartite model for earnings distribution, allocating proportional returns to family, debt contributors and equity stakeholders, based on timing, risk and level of support. This addresses the financing gap and offers a practical solution to disputes over financial entitlements. Originality/value This research is among the first to systematically apply POT to athlete financing in Africa and propose a model that reflects the informal yet critical roles played by non-institutional actors. By drawing parallels with startup financing, it contributes new theoretical and policy insights into sports migration, career development and conflict resolution in football. It also sets an agenda for further research into athlete financing in other sports and developing regions.