Meschak Elia has quietly built one of the most compelling careers in African football. From the streets of Kinshasa to the Turkish Süper Lig — and now a FIFA World Cup stage — here is a full breakdown of his net worth, salary, and career earnings.
Meschak Elia’s Biography
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Meschak Elia Lina |
| Date of Birth | August 6, 1997 |
| Age | 28 |
| Place of Birth | Kinshasa, DR Congo |
| Nationality | Congolese |
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
| Weight | 68 kg |
| Position | Centre-Forward / Right Winger |
| Current Club | Alanyaspor (Süper Lig, Turkey) |
| Turned Professional | 2014 (CS Don Bosco) |
| Net Worth | Approx. $1.5 million (estimated) |
| Annual Salary | €810,000 gross (estimated, per Capology) |
| International Caps / Goals | 64 caps / 12 goals (DR Congo) |
Early Life and Career
Meschak Elia Lina was born on August 6, 1997, in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Like many footballers who emerge from that city, he grew up immersed in street football, sharpening his natural pace and close control in informal games across the neighborhood.
Kinshasa has produced some of Central Africa’s finest players, and Elia fit the mold of a quick, technically gifted wide forward from a young age.
He started his organized football journey with CS Don Bosco, one of Kinshasa’s youth-oriented clubs, before earning a senior contract with TP Mazembe — the most decorated club in Congolese football history. Joining Mazembe was a major early break.
The club regularly competed in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, which meant Elia was testing himself in continental football while still in his teens.
At the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda, Elia announced himself to the wider world.
He scored four goals in six matches, including a brace in the final as DR Congo beat Mali 3-0 to claim the title. His performances earned him both the Golden Boot and the tournament’s Best Player award — a rare double. He was just 18 years old.
That tournament gave him a profile far beyond what club football had delivered to that point, and European clubs began paying attention.
Professional Career
Elia spent several productive seasons at TP Mazembe, helping the club win three Linafoot titles (2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19) and two CAF Confederation Cups.
His profile on the continent grew steadily, and by mid-2019 Belgian giants Anderlecht had agreed terms to sign him.
That deal, however, collapsed badly. Elia disappeared ahead of the transfer and was accused of falsifying his year of birth, which led to a 12-month ban by the Congolese Football Federation.
In February 2020, as reported by FIFA, he was provisionally cleared to resume playing, and he signed for BSC Young Boys in the Swiss Super League for a fee of €1 million. Switzerland proved the perfect environment for his rehabilitation.
Over five full seasons, Elia made exactly 200 appearances for Young Boys, scoring 43 goals and supplying 39 assists.
He helped the club win four Swiss Super League titles and two Swiss Cups, and contributed in UEFA Champions League and Europa Conference League campaigns.
His standout season came in 2023–24, when he scored 9 league goals and added Champions League goals as well.
After a four-month loan spell at FC Nantes in Ligue 1 in early 2025, he made a permanent move to Turkish side Alanyaspor on September 12, 2025, signing a three-year deal running through June 2028.
On May 19, 2026, he was named in DR Congo’s 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — the peak achievement of his international career. He currently holds 64 international caps and 12 goals for the national team.
Meschak Elia’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Meschak Elia’s has an estimated net worth of approximately $1.5 million.
He built this wealth primarily through professional contracts at TP Mazembe, BSC Young Boys, and now Alanyaspor, supplemented by his national team career and over a decade of consistent professional play across four countries.
Contract
Elia signed a three-year contract with Alanyaspor on September 12, 2025, running through June 30, 2028.
According to Transfermarkt’s player profile, the transfer fee Alanyaspor paid Young Boys was €1.2 million.
The contract places him in the Turkish Süper Lig for the prime years of his career, with no publicly announced buy-out clause or extension option.
Salary
According to Capology’s salary data, Meschak Elia earns an estimated gross fixed salary of €810,000 per season at Alanyaspor for 2025–26, which breaks down to roughly €15,577 per week.
This figure excludes performance bonuses and appearance fees. His total contract value over the three-year deal — based on this base salary — amounts to approximately €2.43 million gross before Turkish income tax.
At Young Boys, Elia would have earned in the range of €300,000–€500,000 annually during his peak seasons, consistent with Swiss Super League salary norms for key players.
His Mazembe years commanded far lower wages, as is standard in the Congolese league.
Career Earnings By Year
| Season | Club | Competition | Estimated Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | TP Mazembe | Linafoot / CAF | Not disclosed |
| 2016–17 | TP Mazembe | Linafoot / CAF | Not disclosed |
| 2018–19 | TP Mazembe | Linafoot / CAF | Not disclosed |
| 2019–20 | BSC Young Boys | Swiss Super League | Est. ~€300,000 |
| 2020–21 | BSC Young Boys | Swiss Super League | Est. ~€350,000 |
| 2021–22 | BSC Young Boys | Swiss Super League | Est. ~€400,000 |
| 2022–23 | BSC Young Boys | Swiss Super League | Est. ~€450,000 |
| 2023–24 | BSC Young Boys | Swiss Super League | Est. ~€500,000 |
| 2024–25 | Young Boys / Nantes | Super League / Ligue 1 | Est. ~€450,000 |
| 2025–26 | Alanyaspor | Süper Lig | €810,000 (Capology estimate) |
Career Statistics
| Season | Club | Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019/20 | BSC Young Boys | Swiss Super League | 12 | 2 | 3 |
| 2020/21 | BSC Young Boys | Swiss Super League | 25 | 6 | 8 |
| 2021/22 | BSC Young Boys | Swiss Super League | 30 | 8 | 7 |
| 2022/23 | BSC Young Boys | Swiss Super League | 31 | 7 | 2 |
| 2023/24 | BSC Young Boys | Swiss Super League | 32 | 9 | 5 |
| 2024/25 | BSC Young Boys | Swiss Super League | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024/25 | FC Nantes | Ligue 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025/26 | Alanyaspor | Süper Lig | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Total (League) | 170 | 33 | 26 |
FAQs
What is Meschak Elia’s net worth?
Meschak Elia’s estimated net worth is approximately $1.5 million. He built this through professional contracts at TP Mazembe, BSC Young Boys, and his current club Alanyaspor in Turkey.
How much does Meschak Elia earn per week?
According to Capology, Elia earns an estimated gross salary of €15,577 per week at Alanyaspor for the 2025–26 season, which amounts to around €810,000 annually before tax.
Which club does Meschak Elia play?
He plays for Alanyaspor in the Turkish Süper Lig. He joined the club on September 12, 2025, on a three-year contract running through June 2028, after five seasons with BSC Young Boys in Switzerland.
Is Meschak Elia playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Yes. DR Congo head coach Sébastien Desabre named Elia in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on May 19, 2026. It marks his first World Cup appearance at senior level.
What trophies has Meschak Elia won in his career?
Elia has won the 2016 CHAN title with DR Congo, three Linafoot titles and two CAF Confederation Cups with TP Mazembe, four Swiss Super League titles, and two Swiss Cups with BSC Young Boys — making him one of the most decorated players from the DRC.
