Zambian international striker Barbra Banda joins Orlando Pride of the USA National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in a record deal for the women’s game.

By signing for Orlando Pride from Shanghai Shengli, Barbra (23) has become the most expensive female player in the history of the NWSL.

Currently in her fifth season in China, Barbra scored 16 goals and made five assists as Shanghai finished Chinese Women’s Super League runners-up in 2023. Previously, she had an outstanding start to her career in Shanghai as she scored 18 goals in 13 matches in her first season for the club, thus winning the Golden Boot and helping the team onto the bronze medals in the 2020 season.

One of the most exciting strikers in the world over the last few years, Barbra began her career with Zambian side Green Buffaloes before moving on to EDF Logroño in Spain in 2018, becoming the first Zambian woman footballer to play in Europe. She scored 15 goals in 28 league matches in Spain’s Primera Division.

Having debuted with Zambia Senior Women’s National Team at the age of 16 in 2016, Barbra gained world-wide recognition with her incredible goal-scoring run at international competitions such as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Championship, and finally the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand last summer. Zambia’s captain today, she continues the quest for the 2024 Paris Olympics qualification with the Copper Queens, as they have now advanced to the last qualifying round.

It was during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 that her star-making performances began. She showcased her extraordinary scoring prowess by netting successive hat-tricks in group-stage matches against both the Netherlands and China, becoming the first player in Olympic history to realize such an achievement.

At the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Barbra etched her name in the history by netting the 1,000th goal in the tournament’s illustrious history, helping Zambia record their first ever victory at a FIFA Women’s World Cup. She capped last year by being named the IFFHS World’s Best International Goal Scorer in 2023.
Barbra was also featured on the CAF FIFPro Team of the Year for 2023 and was on the podium among the three finalists nominated for the 2023 CAF Women’s Player of the Year award.

LTA Agency congratulate Barbra on this important milestone in her life and wish her success as she embarks on an exciting journey on what-would-be-a-fourth continent in her professional football career.