Oluwabori Falaye: Canada-Nigeria forward joins Irtysh on free transfer from KF Tirana

Canada-Nigeria centre-forward Oluwabori Falaye has joined Kazakh Premier Liga side Irtysh on a free transfer from Albanian club KF Tirana. The 27-year-old moves to Kazakhstan after a spell in the Kategoria Superiore, where he had been on the books of Tirana, one of Albania’s most prominent sides.

Falaye’s switch to Irtysh is a permanent move and comes with the forward currently carrying an estimated market value of around €100,000. His arrival adds a new attacking option for the Premier Liga club as they look to strengthen their squad with a player who has experience of top-flight football in another European league.

The centre-forward, who holds both Canadian and Nigerian nationality, has spent the recent phase of his career in Albania, featuring in the Kategoria Superiore with KF Tirana. That experience has given him exposure to competitive league football on the European stage before making the decision to continue his career in Kazakhstan.

Falaye’s move underlines Irtysh’s determination to tap into talent from outside the traditional transfer markets for Kazakh clubs, bringing in a forward used to operating as a central attacking focal point. At 27, he joins Irtysh in what can be considered a key stage of his career, offering the club a player entering his peak years.

The deal, completed on 21 July 2026, sees Falaye officially become an Irtysh player following his free transfer from KF Tirana.