Gotham FC rookie forward Khyah Harper has signed a contract extension through the 2026 season.
Harper, 23, joined Gotham ahead of the 2025 NWSL season after a breakout senior year at Minnesota. She scored 17 goals for the Gophers in 2024, including back-to-back hat tricks against St. Thomas and Milwaukee — the first Minnesota player to do so since 1998. She added a third hat trick later in the season against Michigan and was named Big Ten Forward of the Year.
That same season, Harper earned United Soccer Coaches All-America second-team honors, was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, and collected multiple academic awards, including First Team Academic All-American. She finished her career with 19 goals and 17 assists in 61 matches and ranks third in program history for single-season goals, first in game-winning goals with six, and fifth in single-season points with 40.
Harper has carried that momentum into her first professional season. She scored her first NWSL goal in her first career start on August 1 against Chicago Stars FC. Later that month, she netted the game-winner against CF Monterrey in the Concacaf W Champions Cup, marking her first international competition goal.
“I am truly excited and grateful to extend my contract with Gotham FC,” Harper said in a statement. “Representing such an amazing club is an honor, and my growth has been tremendous. I cannot thank the owners, coaches, my teammates, staff and supporters enough for their trust in me. I am committed to excellence and will contribute to the team in any way I can.”
Harper has made 10 NWSL appearances this season, including two starts, and has started all three of Gotham’s Concacaf W Champions Cup group-stage matches.
“Khyah has made big strides in her first season as a professional, making positive impacts in the games she’s featured in this season,” Gotham general manager and head of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West said. “We are very happy to have Khyah continue with us and look forward to her ongoing development and contribution.”
Harper’s signing continues Gotham’s emphasis on developing young talent while building depth for both NWSL and international competition. The club has leaned on its rookies throughout the 2025 campaign, with Harper’s early contributions underscoring the impact of its scouting and player development system. By securing her future, Gotham reinforces its long-term vision of blending experienced veterans with emerging talent to compete at the highest level domestically and abroad.
