Talia Sommer Becomes First Israeli Athlete to Join US National Women’s Soccer League
Talia Sommer (center) in action with Serbia’s Dejana Stefanovic at FIFA Women’s World Cup, UEFA Qualifiers – Serbia v Israel – in Serbia, Belgrade, on April 7, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Novak Djurovic
Butler University forward Talia Sommer signed on Tuesday with the professional women’s soccer team Gotham FC and reportedly became the first Israeli to join the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Based in New York and New Jersey, Gotham FC announced that it signed the 21-year-old to a contract through the 2026 season, which kicks off in March. Sommer will wear No. 14 for the team, which won the 2025 NWSL Championship in November, marking their second championship win in three seasons. Gotham FC has also won the inaugural CONCACAF Women’s Champions Cup.
“Becoming a professional soccer player is an incredible milestone,” said Sommer, who was born in New York. “Joining Gotham FC makes it even more special. I’m thrilled to represent a club known for its creativity, fire, and community – and to represent my home city, New York. I can’t wait to get started.”
“Talia is a talented player with international experience under her belt,” said Yael Averbuch West, the general manager and head of soccer operations for Gotham FC. “We are delighted to have her join us and look forward to seeing her development at the club.”
For high school, Sommer studied at the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium, where she led her team to the Israeli High School Cup. She started her professional career as a teenager playing for ASA Tel Aviv in Israel, and together they won the Women’s Premier League championship and the National Cup. Sommer has also played for Israel’s women’s national team, most recently in the 2025 UEFA Women’s Nations League, where she started four matches and delivered three goals and two assists against Bulgaria and Estonia.
Sommer is one of the most-accomplished players in Butler program history, according to the university in Indianapolis. She played for four seasons at Butler, where she tied for fifth place in program history with 24 assists and finished seventh with 28 goals. She is among the top 10 in a number of single-season categories, including goals and assists.
Sommer was named All-Big East Co-Midfielder of the Year earlier in 2025 and is a three-time All-Big East First Team honoree. She was the conference’s Freshman of the Year in 2022 and a member of both the All-Freshman Team and the All-Big East Second Team also in 2022.