Noah Okafor is a professional footballer from Switzerland who plays as a forward.
He currently plays for Premier League club Leeds United and the Switzerland national team.
Okafor began his youth career at FC Arisdorf before joining FC Basel's youth academy in 2009.
Biography
Early Life
Noah Arinzechukwu Okafor was born in Binningen, Switzerland, to a Nigerian father and a Swiss mother. Growing up in a multicultural environment, he developed a passion for football at a young age. He began his youth career with local team FC Arisdorf before moving to the youth academy of FC Basel in 2009, where he honed his skills and progressed through the ranks.
Career
Okafor made his professional debut for FC Basel during the 2018–19 season, signing his first contract with the club on January 31, 2018. He played his first match for the first team on May 19, 2018, against FC Luzern, and scored his first goal shortly after in a match against Xamax. Under the guidance of coach Marcel Koller, Okafor contributed to Basel's success, including winning the Swiss Cup in 2019, where he scored in the semi-finals against Zürich. Over his time with Basel, he made 72 appearances and netted nine goals.
In addition to his club success, Okafor has represented Switzerland at various youth levels, making his senior debut on June 9, 2019, in a UEFA Nations League match against England. He scored his first international goal on November 15, 2021, securing Switzerland's qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He was later selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad but announced his decision to step back from the national team due to a breakdown in trust with the management.
Personal Life
Outside of football, Okafor is a family man with two younger brothers, Elijah and Isaiah, who are also pursuing careers in football. His diverse heritage and family background have played a significant role in shaping his identity both on and off the pitch.
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Career & Clubs
Okafor played various international games for the Swiss U-15 and U-17 teams. He played his first game for the U-18 team on 9 May 2018 in the 1–1 draw against the Italy U-18 team. Okafor made his debut for the senior national team debut on 9 June 2019 in the 2019 UEFA Nations League third place game against England, as an 113th-minute substitute for Haris Seferovic. He scored his first international goal for Switzerland on 15 November 2021, in their World Cup qualifying game against Bulgaria, a win which secured automatic qualification for Switzerland to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. On 20 May 2026, Okafor was selected in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On 10 September 2026, Okafor announced that he would not play for Switzerland under manager Murat Yakin citing a 'break down in trust' as the issue.
Basel
Okafor played his first youth football with local team FC Arisdorf. In 2009 he moved to the youth of Basel and continued through all the stages of their youth academy. He advanced to their first team during their 2018–19 season and on 31 January 2018, Okafor signed his first professional contract with his club under head coach Raphaël Wicky. He played his debut for their first team on 19 May 2018 in the home game against FC Luzern. The trainer substituted him in for the injured Mohamed Elyounoussi in the 34th minute and the game ended in a 2–2 draw. He scored his first goal for his club in the second round of the 2018–19 season on 28 July 2018 in the 1–1 away draw against Xamax. Under trainer Marcel Koller Basel won the Swiss Cup in the 2018–19 season. In the first round Basel beat FC Montlingen 3–0, in the second round Echallens Région 7–2 and in the round of 16 Winterthur 1–0. In the quarter-finals Sion were defeated 4–2 after extra time and in the semi-finals Zürich were defeated 3–1. All these games were played away from home. The final was held on 19 May 2019 in the Stade de Suisse Wankdorf Bern against Thun. Striker Albian Ajeti scored the first goal, Fabian Frei the second for Basel, then Dejan Sorgić netted a goal for Thun, but the result was 2–1 for Basel. Okafor played in four cup games and scored a goal in the semi-final against Zürich. Between the years 2017 and 2020 Okafor played a total of 72 games for Basel scoring a total of nine goals. 39 of…
Club
As of match played 14 September 2026
International
As of match played 2 July 2026
As of match played 2 June 2022 Scores and results list Switzerland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Okafor goal.
- Club
- FC Basel
- National team
- Switzerland
Personal
Born in Binningen, Okafor is the son of a Nigerian father and a Swiss mother. His younger brothers Elijah and Isaiah are also footballers, playing respectively for FC Lugano II and the U-21 side of FC Zürich.
Clubs
Played together with
Adama TraoréFC Basel · 2015- Adrian KnupFC Basel · 1986–1988
- Adrian KnupFC Basel · 1996–1998
Adrie van KraayFC Basel · 1984–1985- Albian AjetiFC Basel · 2013–2014
- Albian AjetiFC Basel · 2014–2016
Aleksandar DragovićFC Basel · 2011–2013
Alexander FranssonFC Basel · 2016
Alexander FreiFC Basel · 1997–1998- Alexander FreiFC Basel · 2009–2013
Alfréd SchafferFC Basel · 1920–1920
Amir AbrashiFC Basel · 2021–2021
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Noah Arinzechukwu Okafor is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Leeds United and the Switzerland national team.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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