Esther González signs with Al Qadsiah after leaving Gotham FC
The Guardian Sport • 2 min read • Latest: Aug 28, 2026, 1:00 PM
Last updated Aug 28, 2026
Esther González has signed a one-season contract with Al Qadsiah in the Saudi Women's Premier League after leaving Gotham FC. Less than a month prior, Gotham announced her departure as a mutual agreement for her to attend to personal matters. This transition raises questions regarding professionalism and LGBTQ+ considerations, as González had expressed a need for personal time soon after becoming a mother. The move has surpassed expectations, as Gotham reportedly did not foresee her signing with another team so soon. Financial factors may also have influenced her decision, considering the salary cap in the NWSL.
- •González left Gotham FC citing personal matters on July 27.
- •Her contract with Al Qadsiah includes an option for a second year.
- •Gotham missed potential transfer fees benefits from her departure.
- •González had recently set a club scoring record before leaving.
- 1:00 PMThe Guardian Sport — Esther González, Saudi Arabia and the questions around an unexpected transfer saga
- 1:00 PMYahoo Sports — Esther González, Saudi Arabia and the questions around an unexpected transfer saga
"The Gotham striker said she was stepping away from the sport, but then signed for Al Qadsiah. The move sparked questions over professionalism and raised concerns of LGBTQ+ fans who have disavowed the Saudi league A recent World Cup winner joins a historically downtrodden club, immediately leads them to their first championship, praises the level of play in the league, speaks fondly of living in the club’s market, extends her contract with the club, leads the club to another championship, is named a league MVP finalist, and breaks the club’s all-time scoring record. That’s the fairytale of Esther González and Gotham FC – a story that ended abruptly, just nine days after that scoring record was set. On 27 July, Gotham announced that they had mutually parted ways with the striker as she “temporarily steps away from soccer to attend to personal matters in Spain”. The announcement of her departure was full of gushing words going both directions, and was met with understanding and support from the women’s soccer world. But less than a month after González left Gotham, Al Qadsiah, a club in the Saudi Women’s Premier League, announced her as their newest signing, on a one-season contract with an option to extend for a second. NWSL journalist Jenna Tonelli soon reported, “League sources tell me that Gotham did not expect Esther to sign with another club this soon.” Questions swirled: did she actually intend to take a break from soccer when she left Gotham? And why would a player who just had a child with her female partner choose to play in Saudi Arabia, a country where same-sex relations are criminalized? Continue reading...
"The Gotham striker said she was stepping away from the sport, but then signed for Al Qadsiah. The move sparked questions over professionalism and raised concerns of LGBTQ+ fans who have disavowed the Saudi league
Sources
External links- The Guardian SportAug 28, 2026, 1:00 PMEsther González, Saudi Arabia and the questions around an unexpected transfer saga
The Gotham striker said she was stepping away from the sport, but then signed for Al Qadsiah. The move sparked questions over professionalism and raised concerns of LGBTQ+ fans who have disavowed the Saudi league A recent World Cup winner joins a historically downtrodden club, immediately leads them to their first championship, praises the level of play in the league, speaks fondly of living in the club’s market, extends her contract with the club, leads the club to another championship, is named a league MVP finalist, and breaks the club’s all-time scoring record. That’s the fairytale of Esther González and Gotham FC – a story that ended abruptly, just nine days after that scoring record was set. On 27 July, Gotham announced that they had mutually parted ways with the striker as she “temporarily steps away from soccer to attend to personal matters in Spain”. The announcement of her departure was full of gushing words going both directions, and was met with understanding and support from the women’s soccer world. But less than a month after González left Gotham, Al Qadsiah, a club in the Saudi Women’s Premier League, announced her as their newest signing, on a one-season contract with an option to extend for a second. NWSL journalist Jenna Tonelli soon reported, “League sources tell me that Gotham did not expect Esther to sign with another club this soon.” Questions swirled: did she actually intend to take a break from soccer when she left Gotham? And why would a player who just had a child with her female partner choose to play in Saudi Arabia, a country where same-sex relations are criminalized? Continue reading...
- Yahoo SportsAug 28, 2026, 1:00 PMEsther González, Saudi Arabia and the questions around an unexpected transfer saga
The Gotham striker said she was stepping away from the sport, but then signed for Al Qadsiah. The move sparked questions over professionalism and raised concerns of LGBTQ+ fans who have disavowed the Saudi league
Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
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