Nigeria Players Abroad
Ifeoma Onumonu: Nigeria international joins Utah Royals from Gotham
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria forward, Ifeoma Onumonu has joined the new National Women Soccer League franchise, Utah Royals FC.
The 29-year-old joined Utah Royals from rivals, Gotham FC after they won the NWSL championship last season.
The Super Falcon’s move to the Royal came in exchange for $40,000 in allocation money.
Onumonu signed through the 2024/2025 NWSL seasons becoming the 15th player on the 2024 expansion Utah side’s roster, with the upcoming NWSL occurring on January 12 and players reporting to preseason between January 22-29.
The attacker played each of the last three seasons with Gotham FC since joining in 2020 via trade with OL Reign.
Over the 2021 and 2022 regular seasons with the New York-based side, the striker appeared in 40 matches – starting 35 – recording 10 goals and six assists in nearly 3,000 minutes.
In the most recent 2023 NWSL regular season, Onumonu appeared in 14 matches and started in four, recording 370 minutes and one assist.
Her’s summer was highlighted by her contribution to the Super Falcons at the 2023 World Cup.
The Nigeria international helped the nine-time African champions to a Round of 16 appearance, where the West Africans were knocked out by eventual runner-up England on penalties.
Onumonu appeared in four matches and started in three, playing 227 minutes for one of the world’s most dynamic sides at the World Cup.
Before her time at Gotham FC, Onumonu also played for the OL Reign (2019/2020) and Portland Thorns (2018), after being drafted as the eighth overall pick by the Boston Breakers in the 2017 NWSL Draft.
