Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has reached another career milestone after matching Mohamed Salah’s tally of 328 appearances in the English Premier League.
The Nigerian achieved the landmark on Saturday, October 24, 2026, when he featured for Fulham in their 1-0 victory over Coventry City. The appearance moved him level with Liverpool forward Salah as the joint-second most-featured African player in the competition’s history.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) congratulated Iwobi on the achievement, praising his consistency and expressing hope that he would eventually become the African player with the most Premier League appearances.
The milestone reflects the midfielder’s longevity in English football, having represented Arsenal, Everton and Fulham in the top flight.
Fulham Victory Brings Historic Milestone.
Iwobi played for approximately 73 minutes in Fulham’s win over Coventry, contributing to a result settled by Oscar Bobb’s late goal. He recorded 60 touches, completed 51 passes and registered an 86.3 per cent passing accuracy, according to reports on the match.
The victory provided a memorable backdrop to the achievement, adding another milestone to a career that began in Arsenal’s academy before Iwobi established himself as a regular Premier League player.
His ability to operate in different attacking and midfield roles has helped him remain a consistent presence through changes of club and manager.
Kolo Touré’s African Record Is the Next Target.
Former Ivory Coast international Kolo Touré remains at the top of the African Premier League appearance rankings, having played 353 matches for Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Iwobi is now 25 appearances away from matching Touré’s total and 26 away from surpassing it. If he continues to feature regularly for Fulham, he will have an opportunity to challenge the record during the current campaign.
However, reaching the mark will depend on his fitness, selection and playing time across the remaining fixtures.
Salah’s own tally of 328 appearances places the Egyptian forward alongside Iwobi in the rankings, although Salah has accumulated more minutes on the pitch in the competition.
NFF Celebrates Nigerian Midfielder.
The NFF’s Acting General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, praised Iwobi and said the federation hoped to see him become Africa’s most-featured player in Premier League history.
The achievement also adds to Iwobi’s standing in Nigerian football. He recently reached 100 appearances for the Super Eagles, further underlining his experience at both club and international levels.
For Nigerian supporters, Iwobi’s pursuit of Touré’s record offers another opportunity to celebrate a homegrown international making his mark in one of the world’s most competitive leagues.
With his appearance tally now level with Salah’s, attention will turn to how quickly the Fulham midfielder can close the remaining gap to Touré.
