URFC Signs Defender Miyabi Moriya to Salary Cap-Exempt Contract for 2026 NWSL Season
NWSL Utah Royals FC

URFC Signs Defender Miyabi Moriya to Salary Cap-Exempt Contract for 2026 NWSL Season

Published on December 2, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Utah Royals FC News Release


HERRIMAN, Utah - The Utah Royals have signed free agent Miyabi Moriya to a salary cap-exempt contract that will keep the Japanese defender in Utah through the 2026 season.

MIYABI MORIYA - DEFENDER

Moriya continues her NWSL career with the Utah Royals, committing to a year-long contract for the 2026 season. The right back recently finished out her first year in the league with Angel City FC at the end of the 2025 season before signing with Utah. She scored one goal and had two assists for the team.

Before her debut in the NWSL, she played for INAC Kobe Leonessa in Japan, making her WE League debut in September of 2021, after beginning her professional career in 2015. Moriya scored eight goals in 118 match appearances for INAC Kobe Leonessa, helping her club win the WE League Title for the first time ever in 2022. In her 2023 season, she was awarded the WE League Valuable Player and was also named to the 2023 WE League Best XI. She scored three goals in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.

Her international career advanced as she was chosen to play in the 23-player squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023, where she made her first World Cup appearance during Japan's 2-0 win in the second round over Costa Rica. She was later included in the 2024 Summer Olympics Japan squad.

Bio

Hometown: Kanmaki, Kitakatsuragi, Nara Prefecture, Japan

School: JFA Academy Fukushima (2009-2014)

Accolades: 2023 WE League MVP and 2023 WE League Best XI

Pathway: Entered NWSL via Angel City FC one-year contract before signing with Utah as a free agent in 2025

2025 SEASON STATISTICS

Matches Played: 25

Starts: 13

Minutes: 1,423

Pass Completion: 69.6% (549/789)

Tackles: 49

Interceptions: 15

Key 2025/26 NWSL Offseason Dates and & Roster Mechanisms:

(Dates, Times [MT] - Subject to Change)

Nov 21 - NWSL Skills Challenge

Nov 22 - 2025 NWSL Championship

Dec 23 - Transaction Moratorium begins at 6pm ET

Dec 29 - Transaction Moratorium end at 9am ET

Feb 20 - NWSL Challenge Cup

Mar 13 - Start of 2026 regular season

Check out the Utah Royals FC Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



National Women's Soccer League Stories from December 2, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central