Migration Trends of Female African Footballers Who Competed at the Women's African Cup of Nations Over the Last Decade (2012-2022)

In the 1990s, sports migration was seen as overwhelmingly a male phenomenon. Yet, there is little information describing whether female player migration has been impacted by the growth of women's football in Africa and abroad since then. This paper used a desktop review method to identify clubs of the players who participated in the Women's African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) between 2012 and 2022; identify country (including international ranking) and division of these clubs; and correlate migration trends with WAFCON performance. Based on this, the migration trends of female African players over the last 10 years were identified. The study revealed that the percentage of players leaving their home countries has increased by 22.36% over the last decade. Inter-continental migration occurred in 16.07%. More players are moving to top divisions (16,05%) and to top women's footballing nations (7.96%). The study found increased migration for African female players.