Nighswonger heads back to the NWSL
Bay FC have their new defender. The California club signed Jenna Nighswonger from Arsenal on Monday for an undisclosed fee, pulling the United States international back to the NWSL after two seasons in England’s Women’s Super League. She put pen to a deal that runs through 2028.
The 25-year-old left the American league at the top of her game. She won the NWSL title and Rookie of the Year with Gotham FC in 2023, then added Olympic gold with the U.S. women’s national team in Paris the following summer. The switch to Arsenal took her abroad. Now she comes home.
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A ready-made starter for Bay FC
Nighswonger fits a clear need. Drafted fourth overall in 2023, she posted four goals and three assists across 46 games for Gotham between 2023 and 2024, working both ends of the pitch. Her international record reads two goals in 20 caps.
Coach Emma Coates made the pitch plain. “Jenna is another great addition to our squad, showing real quality both sides of the ball,” she said. “Her experience in the NWSL and WSL will add another dimension to our group.”
The player echoed the ambition. “I have a lot of confidence in what this group can accomplish moving forward, and I’m ready to get to work and help the team compete,” Nighswonger said.
What it changes
Bay FC add a proven, versatile defender with a title and an Olympic medal already on her resume, still only 25 and tied down for three more years. For a young franchise chasing a playoff push, that kind of profile rarely comes free on the market.
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