Hammarby’s new wonderkid has arrived: Meet Fanny Peterson

Hammarby is one of the biggest talent factories in European women's football. The club has already produced stars such as Smilla Holmberg, Cathinka Tandberg and many more. And now, another star is in the making.

UEFA Europa Cup semi-final. Prague, Letná Stadium. A tightly contested clash between two quality sides that had worked tirelessly to get there, neither willing to let the dream of reaching the final slip away. Sparta Prague led 2:1 with ten minutes remaining, but when Elin Sørum equalised, it looked as though the first leg would end level, with the finalist to be decided in Stockholm.

Then came 16-year-old Fanny Peterson, who showed that despite her young age and her being relatively short, she already has something to say on the European stage. With a fierce strike, she found the back of the net behind Sparta goalkeeper Nikola Harantová and secured a one-goal advantage for her side.

For those who have followed Hammarby closely, it came as no surprise. Peterson has recently been making waves not only with Sweden’s U17 national team but also in Hammarby’s senior side. She is neither the first nor likely the last academy graduate to do so. The already-mentioned Smilla Holmberg and Bella Andersson also made their breakthroughs at a similarly young age in Stockholm.

Peterson scored her first goal for Hammarby even before turning 16: on September 17, 2025, in a Svenska Cupen match against Sollentuna. She carried that Europa Cup form into the opening match of the Damallsvenskan season, starting the game and helping Bajen secure their first win with a goal.

The biggest moment of her career so far, however, came in the second leg of the semi-final, when Hammarby hosted Sparta at the 3Arena. With a stunning powerful finish, she opened the scoring and effectively sent Hammarby into the final.

Easy to forget how young she is

This is how her teammate Elin Sørum spoke about her at the post-match press conference: “I think we have a lot of very good players. Of course, Fanny is one of them, and it’s easy to forget how young she is when you see the way she plays. Her technique is amazing, she’s scoring great goals, including an important one last week. She’s definitely a big asset for us.”

Sweden’s U17 national team also relies heavily on her talent, where she has become a key player. As captain, she regularly starts matches, and you can almost count on her finding the scoresheet. Against Lithuania, she even recorded her first hattrick.

Peterson and her quality are another example of how well Sweden develops young football talents. Like the slightly older Felicia Schröder, Peterson belongs to a generation of talents who could one day dominate world football. For now, though, the most important thing is allowing them to develop in an environment that nurtures them, without unnecessary pressure, and helps them reach their full potential.