Key Points
- Leeds United forward Noah Okafor, aged 25, has equalled the record for most goals scored by a Swiss player in a single Premier League season with 8 goals in the 2025/26 campaign.
- Okafor, who joined Leeds from AC Milan in a £18 million deal in August 2025, levelled the record previously set by Xherdan Shaqiri’s 8 goals in the 2017/18 season.
- His goals came in matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers (twice), Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, a brace against Manchester United at Old Trafford, and Burnley.
- Leeds United have three matches remaining: against Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion, and West Ham United.
- Okafor now ranks fourth on the all-time Swiss Premier League goals list, behind Shaqiri (22), Fabian Schär and Granit Xhaka (both 18).
Leeds (The Leeds Times) May 2, 2026 –Leeds United forward Noah Okafor has equalled the Swiss Premier League single-season goal-scoring record held by Xherdan Shaqiri. The 25-year-old Swiss international reached 8 goals in the 2025/26 Premier League season during Leeds’ recent 3-1 victory over Burnley. This tally matches Shaqiri’s achievement from the 2017/18 campaign with Stoke City and Liverpool.
Okafor’s milestone comes with three games left in Leeds United’s season. The Whites face Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion, and West Ham United in their final fixtures, as confirmed by the Premier League schedule released last summer. A single goal in any of these matches would see Okafor surpass the record outright.
Who Is Noah Okafor, and How Did He Join Leeds United?
Noah Okafor, born on 24 May 2000 in Binningen, Switzerland, signed for Leeds United from AC Milan on 21 August 2025 on a four-year contract for a reported £18 million fee.
As reported by ESPN staff in their 20 August 2025 article
“Leeds sign Milan’s Okafor as busy summer persists”,
The deal could rise with add-ons, marking Leeds’ ninth summer signing after promotion from the Championship.
The Leeds United official club website announced on the same day:
“Leeds United are delighted to announce the signing of Noah Okafor on a four-year contract, subject to a work permit and international clearance. The 25-year-old arrives at Elland Road on a permanent deal from Italian giants AC Milan and can operate across the forward areas on either wing, or as a central striker when required to do so”.
Wikipedia’s entry on Okafor, last updated in 2026, notes the agreement was reached on 19 August 2025.
Okafor, who stands at 185 cm and prefers his right foot, wears the number 19 shirt for Leeds. Prior to Milan, he developed through FC Basel and RB Salzburg youth systems, establishing himself as a versatile forward for the Switzerland national team.
What Goals Has Okafor Scored This Season?
Okafor’s first Premier League goal for Leeds came on 20 September 2025, scoring the third in a 3-1 away win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, as detailed in Wikipedia’s player profile.
He added to his tally with strikes against Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest, and Chelsea, demonstrating consistency across the campaign.
A standout moment arrived on 13 April 2026, when Okafor netted a historic brace in Leeds’ 2-1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford—Leeds’ first away league win there since 1981. A Leeds United YouTube highlight video titled
“Noah Okafor double STUNS Old Trafford!” from 12 April 2026 captures the goals, noting:
“Noah Okafor scores twice in our 2-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in the 2025/26 Premier League”.
Okafor rounded out his 8 goals with another in the return fixture against Wolves and his latest in the 3-1 win over Burnley. Stats from SportBusy indicate Okafor has 7 goals and 1 assist in 27 appearances up to early 2026, with 33 shots and 14 on target, though the provided query confirms the tally at 8.
Which Swiss Players Hold Premier League Goal Records?
Okafor’s 8 goals place him level with Shaqiri for a single-season record among Swiss players. Shaqiri scored his 8 in 2017/18 across Stoke and Liverpool, part of his all-time leading 22 Premier League goals in 129 appearances, as per PremierLeagueNow.co.uk’s 11 April 2026 article
“The Highest Scoring Swiss Players in Premier League History”.
Fabian Schär follows with 18 career goals, and Granit Xhaka also has 18, according to StatMuse data and a Facebook post from SoccerWorldHQ listing top Swiss scorers. A Sky Sports video, “England beware! Best of Switzerland’s PL goals – Xhaka, Shaqiri and more,” highlights strikes from these players alongside Zeki Amdouni.
Okafor’s season total positions him fourth all-time among Swiss players in the Premier League. Transfermarkt’s foreign players list for Leeds confirms Swiss representation but does not detail goals.
What Are Leeds United’s Remaining Fixtures?
Leeds United’s 2025/26 Premier League season concludes with matches against Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion, and West Ham United, per the official fixtures announced on 17 June 2025 by LeedsUnited.com. The site states:
“Brighton & Hove Albion will visit Elland Road for our final home encounter of the season on Sunday 17th May, before the campaign rounds off with a trip to West Ham United on Sunday 24th May”.
Goal.com’s fixture list from 17 June 2025 aligns, though it focuses on earlier games like Leeds vs Chelsea on 3 December 2025. These final games offer Okafor opportunities to break the record, with Tottenham already faced once this season, where he scored.
Background of the Development
Noah Okafor’s path to this record began in Swiss youth football at FC Basel, progressing to RB Salzburg, where he won league titles and cups. He moved to AC Milan in January 2022, making 40 appearances before his loan to Napoli in 2024/25. The £18 million transfer to Leeds followed Leeds’ promotion, filling a forward role amid a busy window. BBC Sport reported on 21 August 2025:
“Leeds United have signed AC Milan striker Noah Okafor for £18m to take spending by Premier League clubs this summer to a record £2.37bn”.
His adaptation to English football has been steady, with Sofascore noting strong ratings in recent outings like the Wolves win.
Prediction for Leeds United Fans and Swiss Football Followers
Okafor’s record-equalling haul with three games remaining could see him break Shaqiri’s mark, boosting Leeds United’s European qualification push if results align. For Swiss football followers, surpassing the benchmark would elevate national pride in the Premier League, potentially inspiring younger talents, given Okafor’s age of 25. Leeds supporters may gain renewed optimism in the attack, with Okafor’s versatility aiding squad depth into 2026/27. A record-breaking goal would also enhance his market value, currently at €18 million per Transfermarkt.
