Systems and methods for direct cooling of transceivers, including transceivers used in electrical and optical communications systems. An electrical system includes a transceiver module with a housing that contains a plurality of apertures to allow air flow into and out of the transceiver module. The transceiver includes an internal heat sink located within the housing of the transceiver module, where the internal heat sink is thermally coupled to at least one internal component of the transceiver module. The electrical system also includes a cage for receiving and electrically connecting to the transceiver module. The cage contains a second set of apertures such that when the transceiver module is inserted into the cage, air may flow into the cage through the second set of apertures, then flow into the transceiver module through one of the plurality of apertures in the transceiver module housing such that the air dissipates heat from the at least one internal component thermally coupled to the internal heat sink. The air may then flow out of the transceiver module through another of the plurality of apertures in the housing.