The Orlando Pride have signed Zambian international Barbra Banda for a $740,000 transfer fee, the second-highest in women’s soccer history and National Women’s Soccer League history.
Banda joins the Orlando Pride from the Chinese Super League and has a contract worth around $2million over the next four years.
At around $500,000 per year, Banda will be one of the highest-paid players in the NWSL.
The record for the highest transfer fee paid for a female player still belongs to her Zambian teammate, Racheal Kundananji, who joined NWSL expansion side Bay FC on a $787,600 transfer.
Banda is viewed as one of the best up-and-coming forwards in women’s soccer.
Banda signed a four-year contract with the Orlando Pride where she will earn around $2million
Her star making performances began at the Tokyo Olympics, where she scored hat tricks in back-to-back group games.
Banda was the first woman in Olympic history to accomplish that feat, or to score two hat tricks in the same Olympic tournament.
Banda is the top African scorer in Olympic history.
Banda was also part of the Zambian squad to compete at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The women’s transfer market is booming worldwide, with this January’s window setting a record with $2.1million in fees paid for female players, a 165 percent increase from the same window in 2023.