Chioma Okafor Signs Three-Year Deal With North Carolina Courage, Begins Professional Career in NWSL

Nigeria’s rising star Chioma Okafor has officially launched her professional career after signing a three-year contract with North Carolina Courage in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The deal also includes a club option for the 2029 season, underscoring the Courage’s long-term belief in the explosive young forward.

Okafor joins the Courage following a stellar collegiate career with the UConn Huskies, where she emerged as one of the program’s most prolific and reliable attacking talents. Over four seasons, she made 57 appearances, netting 30 goals and recording five assists.

Her UConn spell was marked by consistency and elite performance. The 2024 WAFCON champion was named First Team All-BIG EAST in three consecutive seasons and earned All-American honours on three occasions. She was also a 2024 MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist and appeared on the 2025 preseason watchlist, cementing her reputation as one of the top forwards in NCAA football.

North Carolina Courage Chief Soccer Officer Ceri Bowley praised Okafor as a “powerful and fearless attacker,” emphasising that her pace, directness, and competitive mentality will strengthen the team’s frontline. He added that her ambition and commitment perfectly match the culture the Courage are building.

An excited Okafor expressed her enthusiasm ahead of her professional debut:

“I’m excited to call North Carolina home and sign with the Courage. From the early conversations with the team, I fell in love with the developmental plan they laid out for me and the drive to build back this club’s championship roots. I can’t wait to get to work in 2026.”

Okafor is expected to be a key piece of North Carolina’s rebuilding efforts as the club looks to reclaim its championship pedigree in the coming seasons.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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