Orlando Pride have completed the signing of Nigeria international defender Nicole Payne on a one-year contract that will keep her at the club through the 2026 NWSL season.
Payne joins the Pride as a free agent, adding experience from both the NWSL and European football to Orlando’s defensive unit ahead of the new campaign.
The Super Falcons defender previously played for Portland Thorns, where she made 19 regular-season appearances following a permanent transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. During her spell with PSG, Payne featured in two matches after joining the French giants in July 2023, gaining valuable exposure at the elite level of European football.
Before moving abroad, the 23-year-old built a strong foundation in the United States collegiate system. She represented the University of Southern California (USC), scoring three goals in 16 appearances, including 15 starts. Prior to USC, Payne spent three seasons at West Virginia University, where she recorded four goals and three assists in 53 matches and helped the Mountaineers reach the NCAA Tournament twice.
Payne’s arrival bolsters Orlando Pride’s defensive depth as the club looks to strengthen its squad for the upcoming season, while also increasing Nigerian representation in the NWSL.
With her blend of international experience and versatility across the back line, Payne is expected to play an important role as the Pride continue their push for domestic success.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
