Reigning NWSL rookie of the year Lilly Reale is headed to Boston Legacy FC from Gotham FC in exchange for $350,000 in allocation money and $50,000 in intra-league transfer fees. The USWNT star joins Boston after a little over a season with Gotham, where she won the NWSL Championship and CONCACAF W Champions Cup in 2025, as well as the U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year award.
“Lilly has been an important part of our club since joining Gotham FC last season,” said Yael Averbuch West, president
of soccer operations for Gotham FC. “She has made significant contributions to our success on and off the field, and we are grateful for everything she has brought to Gotham. We wish her all the best moving forward.”
The trade comes after Reale saw a drop in playing time in the 2026 season following a 2025 stint that saw her appear in every league game. Reale joins the Legacy after already facing them twice this season.
“Understanding where this club is going and the direction that it’s going in excites me the most,” commented Reale on her move.
“Lilly is a player of real quality and competitive character, and her NWSL Rookie of the Year award last season proves that,” said Legacy general Manager Domè Guasch. “This is her city, she understands what it means to compete here, and we intend to be the club that helps her fulfill that potential.”
