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Orlando Pride signs prolific scorer Barbra Banda to contract extension
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- Orlando Pride signs prolific scorer Barbra Banda to contract extension
The Orlando Pride signed forward Barbra Banda to a new contract that will keep one of the world's best strikers with the club through 2029, a landmark move that guarantees stability for both sides for a couple of years.
Banda, captain of Zambia 's women's national team, has established herself as one of the NWSL's best strikers since arriving in 2024.
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In her first year in the league, she was named the NWSL Championship MVP and played a key role in helping the Pride lift both the NWSL Shield and Championship in a club first. The three-time Ballon d'Or nominee remains in a close race for this year's Golden Boot with 16 goals scored across 20 matches — three goals behind North Carolina's Ashley Sanchez .
Orlando Pride signs prolific scorer Barbra Banda to contract extension
Banda qualifies for the NWSL's new High Impact Player rule, which allows teams to exceed the salary cap for elite players, and probably attracted interest from clubs around the league as her contract neared its expiration next year.
A club source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, confirmed to The Athletic that Banda was signed through the HIP mechanism.
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"Barbra is a cornerstone of everything we are building at the Pride," Caitlin Carducci, the Pride's vice president of soccer operations and general manager, said in a statement. "She is one of the most dynamic players in world football, and her impact on our club has been extraordinary from the moment she arrived in Orlando.
"As we continue to compete for championships, it is critical that we not only attract top talent but also create an environment where the world's best players want to stay and build their careers."
For Banda, this new contract offers stability through the next couple of critical seasons, as she and Zambia continue their push for a spot in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The team narrowly missed its chance at qualifying for a second consecutive World Cup next summer after being eliminated from the Women's Africa Cup of Nations in the group stage. Banda finished WAFCON as one of the competition's best goal scorers, with five goals and one assist, losing the Golden Boot race to Malawi's Temwa Chawinga, who netted one more assist.
Banda, 26, first signed with Orlando ahead of the 2024 season on a four-year contract that was set to expire after the 2027 campaign. The club acquired the international striker on a $740,000 transfer fee from Shanghai Shengli FC in the Chinese Women's Super League, a sizable investment in the prolific goal scorer's future.
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"I am very happy to continue my journey with Pride," Banda said in a statement. "I want to thank my teammates, coaches, staff and the fans for believing in me and supporting me every day. Orlando has become a special place for me, and I am excited to keep fighting for this club and win more trophies together."
Banda remains a crucial part of Orlando's lineup, accounting for more than half of the club's 31 goals this season. The club has struggled to maintain meaningful momentum this year and sits 11th in the NWSL standings with a 9-12-3 record (win-loss-draw). The Pride are seven points below the playoff line with six matches remaining in the regular season.
Last month, the club let go of coach Seb Hines, who had been with the Pride for four years. His legacy includes steering the club through Banda's arrival and to its first Shield and Championship in 2024. Orlando became only the second club to secure the historic double, after the North Carolina Courage did so in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019. In announcing Hines' firing, the club said "this is the appropriate time for a leadership change" as it looks toward future objectives and a new long-term vision, which now includes Banda.
"Barbra is a transformational player whose impact extends far beyond the goals she scores on the field," Mark Wilf, the Pride's owner and chairman, said in a statement. "She represents the ambition, excellence and winning culture we've built and want to sustain long-term.
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"Since arriving in Orlando, she has helped elevate our club to new heights and establish us among the world's premier women's football organizations. Securing Barbra's future is a reflection of our commitment to competing for championships year after year and investing in the players who define our club."
This article originally appeared in The Athletic .
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