African players with the most Premier League appearances: Where Iwobi and Ameobi rank

Alex Iwobi and Shola Ameobi are among the Nigerian players who feature on the list of African footballers with the most appearances in Premier League history.

Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi reached another historic milestone with Fulham in their narrow 1-0 win over Coventry City on Saturday, moving further up the rankings of African players with the most Premier League appearances.

The 30-year-old has developed into an influential figure at Fulham and was once again named in the starting lineup for their clash at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Iwobi had scored in Fulham’s 1-0 win over Hull City last weekend, a result that marked their first league victory of the season under Alvaro Arbeloa and gave them a much-needed boost.

The Super Eagles star featured for 74 minutes against Coventry before making way for Cesar Palacios in another impressive outing.

However, the appearance was important for more than just adding another game to his season tally. It also took Iwobi another step forward in the rankings of African players with the most appearances in Premier League history.

Where Iwobi and Ameobi rank among African players with the most Premier League appearances

Alex Iwobi’s appearance against Coventry took his Premier League tally to 328 games. Despite reaching that impressive milestone, the Fulham midfielder is still some way off the top spot.

The Nigerian international, who holds multiple Premier League records, has enjoyed a consistent career in England’s top flight, representing Arsenal, Everton and Fulham.

However, the Super Eagles midfielder remains behind former Ivory Coast international Kolo Toure, who made 353 Premier League appearances during his career with Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool.

With 328 appearances, Iwobi is level with former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah on the list.

Jordan Ayew and Wilfried Zaha follow with 305 appearances each, while former Super Eagles forward Shola Ameobi occupies sixth place with 298 games.

Cheikhou Kouyate is next with 291 appearances, followed by Riyad Mahrez with 284. Jeffrey Schlupp has made 280 appearances, while Abdoulaye Doucoure completes the top 10 with 278 games.

Top 10 African players with the most Premier League appearances

1. Kolo Toure — 353 appearances

2. Alex Iwobi — 328 appearances

3. Mohamed Salah — 328 appearances

4. Jordan Ayew — 305 appearances

5. Wilfried Zaha — 305 appearances

6. Shola Ameobi — 298 appearances

7. Cheikhou Kouyate — 291 appearances

8. Riyad Mahrez — 284 appearances

9. Jeffrey Schlupp — 280 appearances

10. Abdoulaye Doucoure — 278 appearances

Iwobi has a chance to climb further up the rankings

Iwobi’s position on the list is very notable because he is the only active Premier League player, unlike the other names in the rankings. The Fulham midfielder is currently joint-second with Salah, while his compatriot Ameobi sits sixth.

🇳🇬📈 Alex Iwobi joins 🇪🇬 Mohamed Salah on 328 Premier League appearances, the joint-second most by an African player.

Only 🇨🇮 Kolo Touré (353) has more. pic.twitter.com/77tuFn3367

— Soar Africa! (@SoarAfrica) October 24, 2026

With 25 appearances separating him from Toure, the Nigerian midfielder has an opportunity to close the gap and move to the top of the rankings if he continues playing regularly in the Premier League this season.

However, his immediate priority will be to maintain his form and help Fulham build on their recent results.

Fulham continued their revival with another victory against Coventry, recording back-to-back wins after a difficult start to the campaign. The result lifted them to 13th in the standings and gave Arbeloa’s side further encouragement heading into their next fixture.

Iwobi could add to his appearance tally next weekend when Fulham travel to Villa Park to face Aston Villa, which would give him a big opportunity to strengthen his position among the Premier League’s most experienced African players.