Zambia’s Grace Chanda extends Orlando Pride contract

Zambia women’s national team player Grace Chanda has signed a contract extension with National Women’s Soccer League club Orlando Pride. According to a club statement, the 28-year-old will now stay at the club until 2026.

“Orlando Pride and Grace Chanda have agreed to exercise the midfielder’s mutual option for the 2026 season, it was announced today,” confirmed a statement on the club’s official website.

Chanda joined the Pride in the middle of the 2024 season, but while representing Zambia in the 2024 Paris Olympics, she sustained an injury that saw her sidelined for the rest of the season.

The 28-year-old made her Pride debut earlier this season, coming on as a second-half substitute on March 19 against the Washington Spirit. In all, the Zambian international has made three appearances for the Pride in the NWSL.

Chanda previously played in her native Zambia with ZESCO United and the Red Arrows, as well as in Kazakhstan with BIIK Kazygurt, and in Spain for Madrid CFF. She was one of three players shortlisted for African Women’s Footballer of the Year in 2022.

She represented Zambia at the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations and the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations. Chanda was the top goalscorer with eight goals at the 2020 CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the Olympic-qualifying tournament for Africa, and helped Zambia qualify for their first Olympics.

Chanda is currently part of Zambia’s WAFCON squad in Morocco. The Copper Queens are in Group A alongside Morocco, Senegal and DR Congo, and they will kick off their campaign against tournament hosts Morocco on July 5.