Seattle Reign win the Mia Fishel sweepstakes, sign forward from Chelsea through 2029 – Equalizer Soccer

Seattle Reign forward Mia Fishel sports her new jersey and shows off her ‘Big Fish’ necklace. Photo Credit: Seattle Reign FC-Jane Gershovich

Seattle Reign FC signed U.S. women’s national team forward Mia Fishel to a multi-year contract through the 2029 season, the club announced Thursday. The move includes a transfer fee paid to Chelsea, where Fishel spent the last two seasons, as one year remained on her contract with the Blues.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to bring Mia into our squad,” Seattle Reign FC head coach Laura Harvey said in a statement. “She’s a forward with world-class potential who’s already accomplished so much in her young career. Mia’s ability to disrupt defenses, finish in different ways makes her a dangerous addition to our group. We’re excited to help her take the next step and can’t wait to see her on the field soon.”

Fishel has made three appearances for the senior U.S. women’s national team. She received her second call-up for the senior team in September 2023 for a set of friendlies against South Africa and subsequently made her senior debut on September 24, 2023. Fishel scored her first, and so far only, goal for the national team in her second appearance, a friendly against Colombia which finished 3–0 on October 29, 2023.

Fishel has also represented the United States at the U-15, U-17 and U-20 levels, winning three Concacaf championships across those age groups. In 2020, Fishel was a finalist alongside Naomi Girma and Trinity Rodman for U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year.

Fishel’s USWNT journey was derailed in February 2024 when she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee while training for the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup.

After 13 months of rehab, the former UCLA Bruin returned to the field on March 23 for Chelsea. She made four league appearances, making one start but playing no more than 55 minutes in any one game. As a result, Fishel scored two goals in 14 appearances over two years for Chelsea.

Fishel made a partial return to the USWNT when she spent the end-of-May to early-June international break with the U-23s for a pair of games against Germany.

“Yes, she could come in, sit on the bench for [the senior team], but it’s much better for her to go and play in Germany and get the experiences so that these players are tracking to compete in the place that we want them to come 2027,” USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said in May.

In her time at UCLA, from 2019 to 2021, Fishel scored 32 goals and added 14 assists in59 appearances for the Bruins. She was a two-time United Soccer Coaches All-Americanand earned First Team All-Pac-12 honors in back-to-back seasons.

Fishel was initially drafted No. 5 overall in the 2022 NWSL Draft by the Orlando Pride after leaving UCLA a year early. She declined to join Orlando and instead chose to sign with Liga MX Femenil powerhouse Tigres, where she made an immediate impact.

Fishel was the league’s top scorer in the 2022 Apertura (fall) season with 17 goals in 17 appearances, making her the first foreign player to win Liga MX Femenil Golden Boot, as Tigres won the title, and she added another 13 goals in the 2023 Clausura (spring) before her move to Chelsea.

Hayes was the Chelsea boss when the Blues first acquired Fishel from Tigres in 2023 for a $250,000 transfer fee. While at Chelsea, the club won back-to-back Women’s Super League titles. She was also with Chelsea during the club’s run to its sixth FA Women’s Cup title (2024-25) and third FA Women’s League Cup title (2024-25). Fishel scored in her Chelsea debut but missed the better part of both seasons.

“I’m incredibly excited to sign a long-term contract in the NWSL and take this next step in my career with Seattle Reign FC,” Fishel said in a statement. “This league is one of the best in the world, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity. I can’t wait to get started and contribute to the team’s success.”

The contract shows immense belief in Fishel’s potential as she immediately becomes the longest-contracted player on Seattle’s roster. Only three players are even signed through one less season, with Claudia Dickey, Ainsley McCammon and Sam Meza all signed through 2028.

“We’re pleased to bring Mia Fishel to Seattle Reign FC,” said general manager Lesle Gallimore in a release. “Mia is a player with tremendous upside – a goal-scorer with presence, creativity and a drive to keep growing. This move represents an important step in her return to top form, and we’re committed to giving her the environment and support to thrive. We believe in her ability to make a real impact in the NWSL and are looking forward to what she’ll bring to the club and our fans.”

Reports emerged in early June that Fishel was in discussion with multiple NWSL teams about a summer transfer away from Chelsea in search of more minutes and earning more USWNT caps ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

Chelsea already boasts a crowded roster of talented forwards, including fellow USWNT attacker Catarina Macario, Colombian international Mayra Ramírez, and Australian Sam Kerr, the two-time WSL league-leading scorer who is set to return from a long-term knee injury.

Seattle are not without their own crowded forward pool which has seen a decent amount of rotation through injury and different players being in form.

USWNT and NWSL veteran Lynn Biyendolo leads the front line when healthy, while rookie Maddie Dahlien has appeared in every single match this season, and 18-year-old Emeri Adames has recently been in fire form, named to the June NWSL Best XI. Canadian Jordyn Huitema and Haitian international Nérilia Mondesir have also started at various points when healthy, while Ana-Maria Crnogerčević and Maddie Mercado too have played some impactful minutes. Certain lineups have also seen brilliant attacking midfielders like Jess Fishlock and Ji So-Yun play more so as part of the forward line.

Despite a deep forward pool, Reign have at times lacked the presence of a true No. 9, a more traditional center-forward, a classic focal point with Fishel’s pure goal-scoring ability.

Biyendolo is the closest as she is more than capable of playing that position, stretching the back line and being on the receiving end of service, but she can make an impact anywhere along the front line. Huitema is often thought of as a pure striker but rarely, if ever, plays that way for Seattle. This season, she has often played more as a false nine or a play-making No. 10.

Despite her goalscoring acumen, Fishel has admitted that she “identified more as an attacking midfielder” while she was growing up. “I wanted to be on the ball and start attacks,” she told the Chelsea club website. That, however, is a position where the Reign are generally not lacking.

Fishel is already in market and able to begin training. Her first chances to appear will be in the club’s two July friendlies, against Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds on July 20 and against Portland Thorns on July 26, at Lumen Field and Providence Park, respectively. Seattle returns to NWSL play on Aug.1 at home against Angel City for its annual Pride Match.

Where Fishel fits into this Reign squad and how long it takes her to adjust to the NWSL remains to be seen, but her signing has the potential to be one of the biggest, most exciting, and most impactful moves of this summer transfer window.