Cheikh Sabaly is one of Senegal’s most exciting attacking talents — an AFCON winner who spent eight years proving himself in French football before landing in MLS.
This article breaks down his net worth, his Vancouver Whitecaps contract, career earnings from Ligue 2 and Ligue 1, and everything else you need to know about his finances and career.
Cheikh Sabaly’s Biography
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Cheikh Tidiane Sabaly |
| Date of Birth | March 4, 1999 |
| Age | 27 |
| Place of Birth | Kolda, Senegal |
| Nationality | Senegalese |
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Weight | 130 lbs (59 kg) |
| Position | Left Winger / Forward |
| Current Club | Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
| Turned Professional | 2017 |
| Estimated Net Worth | $1.5 million |
| International Caps / Goals | 12 caps / 1 goal |
| @cheikh_sabaly_11 |
Early Life & Career
Cheikh Tidiane Sabaly was born on March 4, 1999, in Kolda — a town in southern Senegal known more for its agricultural traditions than its football pedigree.
Growing up far from the country’s football heartland, Sabaly developed his game through informal street football, where quick feet and low centre of gravity became natural advantages.
Local kids reportedly nicknamed him “Mini Sadio Mané” — a nod to both his playing style and his Senegalese football ambitions.
His path into professional football changed when he relocated to Dakar in his mid-teens to join Académie Génération Foot, the renowned Senegalese academy that has produced a steady stream of talent for European clubs.
The academy, which has maintained a formal partnership with FC Metz since 2003, gave Sabaly the structured environment his raw talent needed.
He signed his first professional contract in 2017 and made four senior appearances for Génération Foot before heading to Europe.
In 2018, following the established Génération Foot-to-Metz pipeline, Sabaly moved to northeastern France and joined FC Metz’s squad.
He was still just 18 years old, entering one of France’s most competitive development environments.
His early years in France were spent adjusting to the pace and physicality of European football, and it took several loan spells before he truly found his footing.
Professional Career
After arriving at FC Metz in 2018, Sabaly spent time developing in the club’s reserve setup before earning loan moves.
His first significant breakthrough came during a 2019-20 loan spell at Pau FC in the French third tier, where he recorded 12 goals and 9 assists in 30 appearances, helping the club earn promotion to Ligue 2. That season effectively announced him as a serious prospect.
He returned to Pau on a second loan in 2020-21, this time playing in Ligue 2 itself — starting 18 matches and making 30 appearances.
A third loan followed in 2021-22 with Quevilly-Rouen Métropole, where he added two goals and three assists in 18 appearances across competitions.
After his loan spells ended, Sabaly returned to Metz and worked his way into the first-team picture.
According to the Vancouver Whitecaps official profile, he made 122 appearances for Metz across Ligue 1, Ligue 2, and the Coupe de France, scoring 21 goals and adding 11 assists.
His standout campaign came in 2024-25, when he finished as Metz’s top scorer in Ligue 2 with 15 goals — fourth-best in the entire division — as the club earned promotion back to the top flight.
On the international stage, Sabaly earned his first Senegal cap in August 2023 against Rwanda.
He scored his only international goal in a 3-1 friendly win over England in June 2025 — the first time a Senegalese side defeated England’s men’s national team.
He was also part of the Senegal squad that won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, contributing one assist in their group stage victory over Botswana.
In February 2026, MLSSoccer.com confirmed that Vancouver Whitecaps FC acquired Sabaly from FC Metz, making him the second Senegalese-born player to join the Whitecaps in the MLS era.
Cheikh Sabaly’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Cheikh Sabaly’s has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million.
He built this wealth through professional contracts across Senegal, France — including eight years with FC Metz and loan stints at Pau FC and Quevilly-Rouen — and his current MLS deal with Vancouver Whitecaps.
Contract
Sabaly joined Vancouver Whitecaps FC on February 5, 2026, via transfer from FC Metz.
As confirmed by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC official announcement, he agreed to a contract running through the 2028-29 MLS season, with a club option for the 2029-30 season.
Spotrac records confirm this as a 3.5-year deal (including the option year) signed on February 5, 2026.
The club lists him as a Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) player, meaning his salary is partially funded through league allocation money rather than the standard salary budget.
The transfer fee paid to Metz was approximately €1 million, per Transfermarkt data, against a market value at the time of €3.5 million — meaning Vancouver secured him at a significant discount.
Salary
Specific salary figures for Sabaly’s MLS contract have not been publicly disclosed.
As a TAM player rather than a Designated Player, his annual salary likely sits in the range typical for mid-tier MLS foreign recruits — broadly estimated between $300,000 and $600,000 USD per year.
This is a notable step up from the wages available in Ligue 2, where even the club’s top scorers operate on relatively modest contracts compared to top European leagues.
During his time at FC Metz, Sabaly’s wages are not publicly disclosed. Ligue 2 wage data from Capology is behind a subscription paywall, but Metz operated on a moderate budget during their Ligue 2 campaigns.
His earnings in France would have been considerably lower than his current MLS income.
Career Earnings By Year (Estimated)
| Season | Club | League | Appearances | Goals | Est. Annual Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Génération Foot | Senegal Ligue 1 | 4 | — | Minimal (first contract) |
| 2018–19 | FC Metz | Ligue 2 | Limited | — | ~€60,000–80,000 |
| 2019–20 | Pau FC (loan) | Championnat National | 30 | 12 | ~€80,000–100,000 |
| 2020–21 | Pau FC (loan) | Ligue 2 | 30 | 3 | ~€80,000–100,000 |
| 2021–22 | Quevilly-Rouen (loan) | Ligue 2 | 18 | 2 | ~€80,000–100,000 |
| 2022–23 | FC Metz | Ligue 1 | 28 | 3 | ~€200,000–300,000 |
| 2023–24 | FC Metz | Ligue 2 | 30 | 3 | ~€200,000–280,000 |
| 2024–25 | FC Metz | Ligue 2 | 33 | 15 | ~€250,000–350,000 |
| 2026– | Vancouver Whitecaps | MLS | Active | — | ~$350,000–600,000 USD |
Career Statistics
| Season | Club | Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Génération Foot | Senegalese Ligue 1 | 4 | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Pau FC (loan) | National (France 3rd tier) | 30 | 12 | 9 |
| 2020–21 | Pau FC (loan) | Ligue 2 | 30 | 3 | 4 |
| 2021–22 | Quevilly-Rouen (loan) | Ligue 2 | 18 | 2 | 3 |
| 2022–23 | FC Metz | Ligue 1 | 28 | 3 | 2 |
| 2023–24 | FC Metz | Ligue 2 | 30 | 3 | 1 |
| 2024–25 | FC Metz | Ligue 2 | 33 | 15 | 4 |
| 2025–26 | FC Metz / Vancouver Whitecaps | Ligue 1 / MLS | 3+14 | 0+2 | — |
| Total (Senior) | ~190+ | 40+ | 23+ | ||
| International (Senegal) | 12 | 1 | 1 |
FAQs
What is Cheikh Sabaly’s net worth?
Cheikh Sabaly’s estimated net worth is $1.5 million. He accumulated this through eight years of professional contracts in France and his current MLS deal with Vancouver Whitecaps.
What is Cheikh Sabaly’s salary at Vancouver Whitecaps?
His exact MLS salary has not been officially disclosed. As a Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) player, he likely earns between $300,000 and $600,000 USD annually — a significant jump from his Ligue 2 wages.
How many goals did Cheikh Sabaly score for FC Metz?
Sabaly scored 21 goals in 122 appearances for FC Metz across Ligue 1, Ligue 2, and the Coupe de France. His best season came in 2024-25, when he scored 15 Ligue 2 goals to lead Metz’s scoring charts and earn promotion.
Did Cheikh Sabaly win AFCON?
Yes. Sabaly was part of the Senegal squad that won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. He made two substitute appearances and provided one assist in Senegal’s 3-0 group stage win over Botswana.
Where did Cheikh Sabaly grow up?
Sabaly was born and raised in Kolda, a city in southern Senegal. He moved to Dakar as a teenager to join the Académie Génération Foot, before moving to FC Metz in France in 2018.
