One of the most striking signs of the global rise of women's soccer is the growing international transfer market and the fees club teams are shelling out for players. Case in point was the record transfer fee of $788,000 paid by National Women's Soccer League expansion team Bay FC for Zambian forward Racheal Kundananji this year. The Orlando Pride acquired fellow Zambian Barbra Banda for a $740,000 fee .
More international movement shows not only that players have more options, but that women's clubs have more resources. "I thinks it's really cool that now you're seeing it go both ways, you're seeing players going to Europe and major clubs, and those players getting a massive deal like at Bay FC," said U.S.
captain Lindsey Horan, who plays professionally in France for Lyon. “I think that's incredible. It says a lot about the women's game right now and that's what we want.
We want it to grow. We want players to want to come to the NWSL, we want players to want to go to Europe.” Other U.
S. players who have moved abroad to play include Chelsea's Catarina Macario and Arsenal's Emily Fox. The converse it true, too.
More international players are coming to the NWSL. This season the league allowed teams seven international roster spots, up from five in 2023. Currently, there are players from 36 countries, other than the United States, on NWSL rosters, a jump from 23 just six years ago.
According to FIFA, soccer's governing body, there was a 31.3% increase in transfers that inclu.
