Rachel Kundanangi has smashed the world record transfer fee for a women’s footballer after signing for Bay FC in a deal worth $860,000. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
Rachel Kundanangi is now the most expensive female footballer in the history of the sport after moving from Madrid FC to Bay FC in a deal worth $860,000.
The first African player in the women’s or men’s game to set a global transfer record
This amount is much higher than the previous highest amount of £400,000 ($501,706) that changed hands when Englishman Keira Walsh moved to Barcelona in 2022 from Manchester City. It also makes the Zambian national the first African player in the women’s or men’s game to set a global transfer record.
Bay FC is a new expansion team in the National Women’s Soccer League. The San Francisco Bay Area team will line up for the first time when the new season begins on March 16.
Bettors will be closely watching US sportsbooks when they announce the odds to see where Bay FC will fall in the calculations. Other high-profile players to sign for the new franchise include former Arsenal star Jean Beattie and Nigerian striker Asisat Oshoala.
Kundanangi soon gained a good reputation for herself. The 23-year-old scored 25 goals in 29 league matches last season for Madrid. She also starred in the recent Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand.
More money and attention are constantly flowing into the women’s game. FIFA reported that total transfer fees last month reached $2.1 million, representing a 165% increase year-on-year.
