Grace Chanda left National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Orlando Pride for Liga MX Femenil outfit Gallos Femenil after terminating her contract with the club.
The Copper Queens star joined Pride in May 2024 but only made her debut almost a year later due to an injury suffered just before the 2024 Paris Olympics. She went on to make seven appearances for Orlando Pride across all competitions.
The Liga MX Femenil pales in comparison to NWSL, with the statistical rating platform, OPTA, ranking the former 11th in the world while the latter was second. So, despite the disparity in league quality, here are three reasons why BolaNews believes this is the right move for Chanda.
Too much competition at Orlando Pride
Since the beginning of last season, Chanda has been fielded just seven times for Orlando Pride in all competitions. She did not start a single league match, with all four of her top-flight appearances coming off the bench.
The midfielder was either left on the bench or omitted from the matchday squad in most of Pride’s matches. Chanda was competing with six-time FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Marta, whose contract with Pride runs until the end of the 2026 season.
At times, she had to play in an unorthodox full-back role to get into Pride’s starting XI. For a player needing match fitness after a long-term injury, Chanda was not getting enough playing time in the United States.
The Copper Queens star could become a key player for Gallos Femenil, who are in dire need of creativity and goals upfront.
Mexican league is more favorable
The NWSL was probably too intense for a player who had been on the sidelines for over a year. The pressure and expectation that come with playing at such a high level was probably too much for Chanda to be thrown straight into the mix at Pride.
She needed to take a step back and ply her trade at a level that would allow her to express herself on the pitch without excessive pressure.
Chanda could draw inspiration from her compatriot and ex-Orlando Pride teammate Prisca Chilufya, who set the Mexican women’s top-flight alight before moving to the United States. Chilufya returned four goals and 10 assists in 18 matches during her final season at FC Juarez Femenil.
Ideal for WAFCON preparation
The 2026 NWSL starts on March 13, just four days before the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) kicks off in Morocco. This means women’s football players based in the United States will be heading into the WAFCON having not played any competitive football at club level for over three months.
The 2025-26 Liga MX Femenil season, in contrast, is divided into two competitions. The opening tournament, the Liga Apertura, ran from July to November, while the closing tournament, the Liga Clausura, commenced this month and will likely conclude in May.
Hence, Grace Chanda will have plenty of matches under her belt at club level going into the 2026 WAFCON. With match fitness in her locker, we might finally get to see the Copper Queens playmaker in the sort of form that saw her inspire Zambia to bronze at the 2022 WAFCON.
READ ALSO: Grace Chanda terminates Orlando Pride contract to join Mexico’s Gallos Femenil.
