Bay FC, the new women’s professional soccer franchise in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), has signed Nigerian international Asisat Oshoala from Barcelona, the club confirmed on Thursday.
Oshoala, who is the record holder of six African Women’s Footballer of the Year awards, joins the San Jose-based team on a contract through 2026 with an option for 2027. She will occupy an international roster spot and will join the team pending the receipt of her P-1 visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC).
The 29-year-old forward leaves Barcelona after five successful seasons, where she scored 107 goals in 149 games and won four league titles, two UEFA Women’s Champions League trophies, three Spanish Super Cups and three Copa de la Reina cups. She also made history as the first African woman to win and score in the Champions League final.
Before joining Barcelona, Oshoala played for Liverpool and Arsenal in England, winning the FA Cup with the latter in 2016. She also had a stint in China with Dalian WFC, where she won two league titles in 2017 and 2018.
On the international level, Oshoala has represented Nigeria in three FIFA Women’s World Cups (2015, 2019, 2023) and has won three African Women’s Championship titles with the Super Falcons. She was also the Golden Ball and Golden Boot winner at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, scoring seven goals in the tournament.
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Bay FC General Manager Lucy Rushton expressed her delight at securing the services of Oshoala, saying: “To have the opportunity to add a player of Asisat’s quality, experience and winning pedigree to our roster is an exciting and important day for the club and the NWSL.
“She brings a top-class mentality to the field combined with pace and technical ability that allows her to lead the line, while also giving those players around her the license to be creative and thrive in space. Asisat is a proven goal scorer at the most elite levels of World football, and she comes here to continue that with Bay FC.”