Stephen Afrifa
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stephen Afrifa-Kodua | ||
| Date of birth | February 19, 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sporting Kansas City | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Rexdale SC | |||
| Woodbridge Strikers | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2022 | FIU Panthers | 63 | (23) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018 | Woodbridge Strikers | 2 | (0) |
| 2022 | One Knoxville SC | 13 | (8) |
| 2023– | Sporting Kansas City II | 11 | (1) |
| 2023– | Sporting Kansas City | 43 | (4) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2024– | Canada | 2 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of April 25, 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of September 10, 2024 | |||
Stephen Afrifa-Kodua (born February 19, 2001) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City and the Canada national team.
In 2019, Afrifa began attending Florida International University, where he played for the men's soccer team.[1] He made his collegiate debut on August 30, 2019 against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies.[2] The following day, he scored his first collegiate goal, in a victory over the James Madison Dukes.[3] After his junior season in 2021, he was named to the All-Conference USA First Team and the All-Southeast Region First Team.[4][5]
Ahead of his senior season in 2022, he was named to the United Soccer Coaches Watch List and the AAC Preseason All-Conference Team.[6][7] That season, he was twice named the AAC Offensive Player of the Week.[8][9] That season, he led the in goals scored with 10 and added four assists for a total of 24 points, which were all career highs for him.[10][11] He helped FIU to win the 2022 American Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and was named the AAC Championship Most Outstanding Offensive Player and was named to the All-Tournament team.[12][13] At the end of the season he was named to the All-AAC First Team,[14] All-East Region First Team,[15] and the All-America Second Team.[16][17] He was also named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, which is awarded to the top collegiate player of the season.[18] Over his four seasons, he scored 23 goals and added 11 assists in 63 appearances.[19][20]
Club career
In 2018, Afrifa played with the Woodbridge Strikers in League1 Ontario, making two appearances.[21]
In March 2022, he joined One Knoxville SC in USL League Two.[22] He scored 10 goals for the side between the season and the playoffs.[23]
In December 2022, he was selected in the first round (eighth overall) in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by Sporting Kansas City.[24][25] In April 2023, he signed a professional contract with the club for the 2023 season, with club options from 2024 to 2026.[26][27] He made his MLS debut on May 17, in a substitute appearance against Los Angeles FC.[28] He also spent some time that season with the second team, Sporting Kansas City II, in MLS Next Pro, scoring his first professional goal on July 2, in a 7-1 victory over Whitecaps FC 2.[29][30]
International career
In February 2024, Afrifa was named to the Canadian provisional roster for the 2024 Copa América qualifying play-offs against Trinidad and Tobago.[31] In August 2024, he received his first main squad call-up to Canada ahead of friendlies against the United States and Mexico.[32] Afrifa made his debut in the first friendly against the USA on September 7, as a late substitute in a 2-1 victory.[33]