Anthropometric characteristics are critical determinants of football performance, yet their associations with fitness outcomes remain inconsistent, particularly in understudied regions like Sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed anthropometric and physical fitness profiles of 20 male football academy players in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, and explored correlations between these variables. Using a correlational design, standardized protocols (International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry guidelines) measured height, weight, limb lengths, circumferences, and waist-hip ratio. Fitness tests included the Illinois Agility Test, 40-m sprint, Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test, sit-and-reach, standing long jump, and plank hold. Pearson correlations and regression analyses identified relationships between variables. Results revealed a mean thigh circumference of 52.77 ± 1.32 cm and Illinois Agility Test time of 17.87 ± 0.20 seconds. Thigh circumference significantly correlated with agility (r = 0.543, p = 0.013), with regression equation Y = 0.08x + 13.50 explaining 29.5% of variance (R² = 0.295). Conversely, limb length, weight, and calf circumference showed no significant associations with speed, endurance, or power. These findings align with studies highlighting thigh musculature’s role in agility, though contrasts exist in contexts prioritizing vertical power. The study higlights thigh circumference as a key predictor of agility in Nigerian youth players, advocating targeted lower-body strength training for talent development. Future research should explore biomechanical mechanisms and socioeconomic barriers in Sub-Saharan Africa.