Kundananji treks to America in big money move

Copper Queens forward Rachel Kundananji has joined United States of America National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Bay FC from Madrid CFF. 

The deal is worth around €735,000 the ZamFoot Crew understands. The Zambian international has penned a deal until 2027 with an option to extend to 2028. 

“Bay FC, the Bay Area’s new women’s professional soccer franchise in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), have acquired the rights to Zambian international Racheal Kundananji through a transfer with Spanish side Madrid CFF in exchange for a transfer free, the club announced today. 

Following the transfer, the forward was signed to a contract through the 2027 season with an option for the 2028 campaign. She will join the team and be added to the roster pending the receipt of her P-1 visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC). Kundananji will occupy an international roster spot.”

“We are delighted to add Racheal to our group,” said Bay FC General Manager Lucy Rushton. “She is a tremendous talent with dynamic attacking qualities and an incredible physical profile who has produced for both club and country. Racheal has a composure in-front of goal and a natural ability to score with different types of finishes and from various locations. We believe she will continue to grow and develop at our club, showcasing her skillset and adding to the array of exciting attacking talent we have here.”

In Aug. 2022, Kundananji signed with Madrid CFF, scoring 25 goals during her first season with the club in the 2022-23 campaign. Her 25 goals ranked second-most in the league as she helped Madrid to a fifth-place finish. During the 2023-24 season, Kundananji appeared in 14 matches, recording eight goals and four assists. Prior to her arrival at Madrid, she was with SD Eibar in Spain, where she tallied eight goals in 21 appearances.” 

Before making the move to Europe, Kundananji signed her first professional contract abroad with BIIK Kazygurt in Kazakhstan at the age of 18. She helped the team win back-to-back league championships in 2019 and 2020. In 2018, Kundananji played for Ideni Roses of Zambia’s Copperbelt Women’s League, scoring 21 goals in 18 games as the team won the league title.

At the international level, Kundananji represented Zambia at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. It marked her first appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. She scored her first career World Cup goal in a 3-1 win over Costa Rica in the group stage of the 2023 tournament. Notably, she tallied a brace in her international debut at the 2018 Women’s African Cup of Nations.

She joins reigning CAF Women’s Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala on the books of Bay FC.

In December last year, Kundananji won the 2023 GOAL50 Women’s Award ahead of FC Barcelona star Asisat Oshoala and Linda Caicedo of Real Madrid Feminina. 

Kundananji was also named as the revelation (breakthrough player) of the season at the MARCA Women’s Sports Awards and also won the Estrella Damm Best Goal award at the 3rd edition of Mundo Deportivo’s European Women’s Football awards.