Racheal Kundananji is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a forward for National Women's Soccer League club Bay FC and the Zambia national team.
Bay FC paid a world-record transfer fee — roughly €735K ($788K) plus add-ons — to sign her in February 2024 on a deal running through 2027 (with option for 2028), making her the most expensive female footballer ever.
She made history for Zambia by becoming the first Zambian to play and to score in an NWSL match.
She grew up playing street football in Zambia and describes the footballs they made from plastic bags as the source of her early passion and resilience.
She used to play football in secret, pretending to visit friends so her family wouldn't know.
She has launched a personal foundation to empower young athletes across Southern Africa.
She didn’t know women’s football existed until her teens, and initially had no interest in joining.
She worked various jobs as a teenager to support herself, including in a bus station, market, construction, and even welding.
She played her first official match on her 17th birthday, marking the start of her formal football career.
| Nike |
| Kazakhstan Women's Championship: 2019, 2020 | 2× |
| Year | Club | AP | GL |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2024
-
present
|
Bay FC | 34 | 6 |
|
2022
-
2024
|
Madrid CFF | 46 | 35 |
|
2021
-
2022
|
Eibar | 21 | 8 |
|
2019
-
2021
|
BIIK Kazygurt | 11 | 8 |
|
2018
-
2018
|
Indeni Roses | 18 | 21 |
| International Stats | |||
|
2018
-
present
|
Zambia | 16 | 10 |
