Bay FC Signs Rising Star Kennedy Fuller in Bold Midseason Move

BAY FC make bold midseason move for rising playmaker Kennedy Fuller

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Bay FC have planted a flag in the NWSL’s future, and they’ve done it with a statement checkbook.

The expansion side announced Wednesday that they have acquired highly rated midfielder Kennedy Fuller and an international roster spot from Angel City FC for $500,000 in intra-league transfer funds and $20,000 in allocation money, a hefty midseason outlay that underlines just how much they believe in the 18-year-old U.S. U-20 international. Fuller will link up with Bay FC after the June international window.

For a club still shaping its identity, this is not a depth signing. It’s a centerpiece move.

Head coach Emma Coates did not bother to play down the significance. Fuller, she said, is “an exciting player and a fantastic addition,” a young midfielder with “lots of NWSL experience” whose creativity and quality in possession are expected to sharpen Bay FC’s attack. The message is clear: this is a player they expect to grow with the club and help define its style.

Fuller arrives from Angel City after a blisteringly efficient start to 2026. She has two goals and two assists this season, having appeared in all 11 of Angel City’s matches before the league’s June break. She has not merely been available; she has been influential.

The numbers back up the eye test. In 2025, Fuller emerged as one of the NWSL’s most dangerous creators, finishing in the league’s top 10 for chances created with 36 and earning Week 24 Player of the Week honors. For a teenager operating in one of the most competitive women’s leagues in the world, that is not a footnote. It is a warning of what might come next.

Bay FC are betting that the next step happens in San Jose.

For Fuller, the move is as much about environment as opportunity. She spoke of being “incredibly excited” to join Bay FC and of a project that resonated in conversations with Coates and her staff. The appeal, she said, lies in a setting where players are pushed to grow and reach their potential. She talked about learning from new teammates, connecting with a new fanbase and doing everything she can to help the club compete for championships.

Those are big words for a teenager. Her résumé suggests she means them.

Fuller turned professional at just 16, making her debut in March 2024 after becoming the eighth player signed under the NWSL’s Under-18 Entry Mechanism. The Southlake, Texas native did not simply survive that leap; she accelerated through it, quickly establishing herself as one of the league’s brightest young attacking midfielders.

Her rise with the United States youth national teams has been just as rapid.

Since 2022, Fuller has been a fixture in the U.S. youth setup, most recently featuring for the U-20s in June alongside future Bay FC teammate Onyeka Gamero. Her performances at international level have drawn national acclaim: she was named one of three finalists for U.S. Soccer’s 2024 Young Player of the Year, a nod that placed her squarely among the country’s most coveted prospects.

The honors are not hollow. They are backed by trophies and end-product.

In 2022, Fuller helped drive the U.S. U-15s to the Concacaf Women’s U-15 Championship title, taking home the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. Two years later, she lifted silverware twice with the U-17s, winning gold at the 2024 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship and bronze at the 2024 U-17 World Cup. Across those two tournaments, she scored 12 goals, a remarkable haul for a midfielder.

Now comes the next test: translating that pedigree into week-to-week influence for a club determined to grow fast.

Bay FC have paid a premium to secure Fuller’s prime years and an international spot to help shape the roster around her. The expectation is not just that she will create chances, but that she will become one of the faces of a club intent on accelerating its timeline.

For a teenager already used to carrying responsibility on big stages, it feels less like a gamble and more like an invitation.