LOS ANGELES (January 9, 2026) - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) announced today that the club has signed defender Emily Sams via a trade with Orlando Pride in exchange for $650,000 intraleague transfer funds. She has signed a contract with ACFC through 2028.
“Angel City is a club with ambition, purpose, and a clear commitment to excellence, and that’s what drew me here,” said Sams. “I’m excited for the opportunity to keep growing as a player in an environment that pushes standards and believes in winning, while staying deeply connected to its community. It already feels like a family, and I can’t wait to compete for championships in LA and play for the best fan base in the league at BMO Stadium.”
"Emily is a world class playmaking defender who brings important experience of winning an NWSL Championship to Los Angeles,” said ACFC Sporting Director Mark Parsons. "Emily is a true professional with high standards, and she will add to our team first culture while raising the standard of those around her. We believe our technical staff will be able to push Emily to another level and I am excited to see her impact on and off the field while competing for trophies in the coming years with Angel City.
Selected third overall in the first round of the 2023 NWSL Draft, Sams joined the league with Orlando ahead of the 2023 season. During her rookie campaign, she led all NWSL rookies in minutes played (1,977), blocks (18), and total clearances (73).
During the 2024 season, Sams played a key role in Orlando’s historic campaign, helping the club record an NWSL-record 23-match unbeaten run and finish the year as NWSL Shield winners and NWSL Champions. Following the season, she was named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year, earned Best XI First Team recognition, and was selected to the NWSL Best XI in both May and September. In 2025, she appeared in 27 matches with 24 starts and logging 2,362 minutes during the 2025 season.
Internationally, Sams has represented the United States across multiple youth national team levels, earning experience with the U.S. U-19, U-20, and U-23 Women’s National Teams. In 2024, she received her first senior US Women’s National team call-up and was part of the United States roster that won the gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Sams made her senior international debut on Oct. 27, 2024, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in a 3–1 friendly victory over Iceland.
During her collegiate career at Florida State University, Sams made 62 appearances, starting 61 matches and scoring six goals. She helped lead the Seminoles to the 2021 NCAA National Championship, defeating BYU on penalty kicks in the College Cup final. Her collegiate honors include ACC Defensive Player of the Year, College Cup All-Tournament Team, ACC All-Tournament Team, All-ACC First Team, and United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American recognition.
