{"id":882181,"date":"2026-01-01T02:17:41","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T08:17:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/01\/official-nigeria-star-kanu-seals-move-to-mexicos-cruz-azul-femenil-ahead-of-clausura-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T02:17:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T08:17:41","slug":"official-nigeria-star-kanu-seals-move-to-mexicos-cruz-azul-femenil-ahead-of-clausura-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/01\/official-nigeria-star-kanu-seals-move-to-mexicos-cruz-azul-femenil-ahead-of-clausura-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Official: Nigeria star Kanu seals move to Mexico\u2019s Cruz Azul Femenil ahead of Clausura 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><img width=\"750\" height=\"500\" alt=\"Soccer Official: Nigeria star Kanu seals move to Mexico\u2019s Cruz Azul Femenil ahead of Clausura 2026\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"  src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/imago1037523519-750x500.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/imago1037523519-750x500.jpg 750w, https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/imago1037523519-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/imago1037523519-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/imago1037523519-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/imago1037523519-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/imago1037523519-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/imago1037523519-1140x760.jpg 1140w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\" ><\/p>\n<p>Photo by IMAGO<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><em>The Nigeria international has enjoyed a successful career in Europe and the United States before heading to Mexico for a second stint<\/em> <\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/tag\/nigeria\">Nigerian<\/a> forward Uchenna Kanu has completed a move to Mexican giants Cruz Azul Femenil, Soccernet.ng reports<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>With a statement on their <a href=\"https:\/\/cfcruzazul.com\/uchenna-kanu-es-nueva-jugadora-de-la-maquina\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">official website<\/a>, the Mexican giants confirmed the arrival of the <a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/tag\/falcons\">Super Falcons<\/a> star ahead of the Liga MX Femenil Clausura 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>The 28-year-old becomes Cruz Azul\u2019s sixth signing of the transfer window, as La M\u00e1quina continue an ambitious rebuild designed to push them into genuine title contention.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_192111\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-192111\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/12\/f224c71f-ee7b-4726-a050-6d6bd1337b9d-750x938.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria star Uchenna Kanu \" width=\"750\" height=\"938\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-192111\">Nigeria star Uchenna Kanu. Photo Credit: Cruz Azul website<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Kanu returns to Mexican football after three seasons in the United States with Racing Louisville in the National Women\u2019s Soccer League (NWSL).<\/p>\n<p>The World Cup striker was recently spotted arriving in Mexico City, fuelling speculation that was formally ended on Monday evening when Cruz Azul announced her signing, describing her as a \u2018champion, World Cup player and experienced attacker&#8217; who will strengthen their frontline.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_187331\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-187331\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/imago1041391740-750x536.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria Super Falcons star Uchenna Kanu\" width=\"750\" height=\"536\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-187331\">Kanu Uchenna Grace of Nigeria during the 2024 Women s Olympic Football qualifier third round, second leg between Nigeria and Cameroon at MKO Abiola Stadium. Photo by Mohammed Chanjo Copyright: xxIMAGO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Get Our Sports News First \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whatsapp.com\/channel\/0029VagMHLcA89MZvw0Btc21\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Soccer Nigeria\u2019s Kanu: A proven winner returns to Mexico<\/h2>\n<p>Kanu is no stranger to Liga MX Femenil. In December 2021, she made history by becoming the first African player to feature in the league when she joined Tigres Femenil. Her impact was immediate and decisive.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_187333\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-187333\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/imago1046541130-750x500.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria Super Falcons star Uchenna Kanu\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-187333\">forward UCHENNA KANU 29 during a NWSL game between Angel City FC and Racing Louisville FC at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Copyright: xBrentonxTsexIMAGO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Across 38 appearances for Tigres, she scored 23 goals and provided six assists, playing a key role in the club\u2019s Apertura 2022 title-winning campaign. That spell established her as one of the most effective foreign attackers in the league and paved the way for her move to the <a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/tag\/nwsl\">NWSL<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Her time at Racing Louisville was disrupted by injury, but it still included notable moments, including the fastest brace in league history and a reputation as one of the club\u2019s most dangerous forwards when fit.<\/p>\n<p>Born in Abia State, Nigeria, in 1997, Kanu began her career in American college football with Southeastern University in Florida before turning professional with Pensacola FC. She later featured for Sevilla in Spain and Link\u00f6ping FC in Sweden, finishing as runner-up in the Swedish league\u2019s scoring charts.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_187327\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-187327\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/imago1032965760-750x500.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria Super Falcons star Uchenna Kanu\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-187327\">Lauren Hemp 11 England and Uchenna Kanu 12 Nigeria battle for possession. Photo by IMAGO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At international level, Kanu is one of the most recognisable figures in Nigerian women\u2019s football. She represented Nigeria at the 2019 and 2023 Women\u2019s World Cups, scoring a crucial goal against co-hosts Australia at the latter tournament. She also featured at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and helped Nigeria reach the semi-finals of the 2022 Women\u2019s Africa Cup of Nations.<\/p>\n<p>With 40 caps and 22 goals, she is currently Nigeria\u2019s fourth-highest goalscorer of all time.<\/p>\n<p>A versatile attacker capable of operating out wide or through the middle, Kanu brings pace, direct running and clinical finishing; qualities Cruz Azul will hope can drive them deep into the Clausura 2026 title race.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><img alt=\"<!-- Author Start -->Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele<!-- Author End -->&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/DSC_0327-copy-150&#215;150.jpg&#8221;  height=&#8221;80&#8243; width=&#8221;80&#8243;>\t\t<\/p>\n<div>\n<h3>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/author\/imhonlamhen-eronmhonsele\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tImhonlamhen Eronmhonsele\t\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\tA lifelong fan of Arsenal and the Super Eagles, Imhonlamhen is a football writer and editor at Soccernet.ng, where his journey as a journalist began more than six years ago. Since then, he has helped shape the platform\u2019s editorial voice and guided it toward some of its proudest milestones. <\/p>\n<p>With a background in Engineering and further training in journalism and digital media, Imhons brings both precision and passion to his storytelling. His love for football runs deep, but he also follows boxing, chess, and athletics with equal curiosity.\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2025\/12\/nigeria-kanu-mexico-cruz-azul-cla-falcons.html\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a>Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer Photo by IMAGO The Nigeria international has enjoyed a successful career in Europe and the United States before heading to Mexico for a second stint Nigerian forward Uchenna Kanu has completed a move to Mexican giants Cruz Azul Femenil, Soccernet.ng reports. With a statement on their official website, the Mexican giants confirmed the arrival [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":882182,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27096,136,2005],"tags":[15956,5237],"class_list":{"0":"post-882181","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nigeria","8":"category-official","9":"category-soccer","10":"tag-nigeria","11":"tag-official"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/882181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=882181"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/882181\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/882182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=882181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=882181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=882181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}