Bay FC Signs Teenage Playmaker Kennedy Fuller from Angel City FC
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Bay FC have planted a flag in the NWSL’s future, and they’ve done it with a statement move.
The expansion club has acquired 18-year-old midfielder Kennedy Fuller and an international roster spot from Angel City FC for the remainder of the 2026 season, sending $500,000 in intra-league transfer funds and $20,000 in allocation money the other way. The U.S. U-20 international will link up with Bay FC after the June international window.
It’s a hefty price in NWSL terms. Bay FC clearly believe she’s worth every cent.
A teenager with a veteran’s résumé
Fuller arrives in the Bay Area with two-plus seasons of top-flight experience already behind her. In 2026, she has featured in all 11 of Angel City’s matches before the June break, contributing two goals and two assists while operating as one of the side’s primary creative outlets.
Her breakout came in 2025. Fuller emerged as one of the league’s premier playmakers, finishing in the top 10 across the NWSL in chances created with 36 and earning Week 24 Player of the Week honors. Those numbers put her in the conversation with some of the league’s most seasoned attacking midfielders, even as she was still navigating only her second professional season.
The Southlake, Texas native made her professional debut in March 2024 at just 16, becoming the eighth player to sign under the NWSL’s Under-18 Entry Mechanism. She didn’t just step onto the field early; she stayed there, growing into a central figure in Angel City’s attacking structure before her 19th birthday.
Bay FC’s creative spark
For Bay FC head coach Emma Coates, this is not a speculative signing. It’s a tactical one.
Coates described Fuller as “an exciting player and a fantastic addition,” highlighting her creativity and quality on the ball, and stressing that she already brings “lots of NWSL experience” despite her age. In a squad still shaping its identity, Fuller’s ability to unlock defenses and dictate tempo gives Bay FC an immediate boost in the final third.
Her profile fits exactly what an ambitious new club needs: a player who can impact games now and still has clear room to grow. Coates made that point explicit, pointing to the “very bright future” she sees for Fuller at Bay FC.
The move also underlines Bay FC’s intent in the transfer market. Surrendering significant intra-league funds and securing an international roster spot signals a front office ready to build aggressively around a young core rather than waiting years to contend.
A rising star in the U.S. system
Fuller’s club form has gone hand in hand with a rapid rise through the U.S. youth national team ranks.
She has represented the United States since 2022 and most recently featured with the U-20 National Team in June, sharing the pitch with current Bay FC forward Onyeka Gamero. That existing connection should ease her transition into the Bay FC dressing room and attack.
Her performances on the international stage have drawn national recognition. Fuller was named one of three finalists for U.S. Soccer’s 2024 Young Player of the Year award, a nod to both her productivity and her influence in big moments.
Those moments have come thick and fast. In 2022, she helped the U.S. U-15s lift the Concacaf Women’s U-15 Championship, taking home the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. Two years later, she added more silverware with the U-17s: gold at the 2024 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship and bronze at the 2024 U-17 World Cup, scoring 12 goals across the two tournaments.
That scoring record, combined with her chance-creation numbers in the NWSL, paints the picture of a midfielder who doesn’t just connect play but finishes it.
A player ready for the next step
Fuller has been clear about why she chose Bay FC. She spoke of being “incredibly excited” to join and emphasized that conversations with Coates and the staff convinced her this is an environment where players are pushed to grow and reach their potential.
She talked about learning from new teammates, connecting with the fanbase, and doing everything she can to help Bay FC compete for championships. Those are big words from a young player—but they land differently when they come from someone who already has a professional résumé and international medals to back them up.
Once the June international window closes and Fuller pulls on a Bay FC shirt for the first time, the question won’t be whether she belongs at this level. She’s already answered that.
The real question is how quickly she can turn her promise into the kind of sustained impact that changes a club’s trajectory.
