Ugandan centre back Shadia Nankya made history on Tuesday night after becoming the first Ugandan female footballer to feature in the French women’s top division, the Première Ligue.
Nankya recently completed a landmark transfer to French side Le Havre AC Women, making her the first Ugandan woman to sign for a club competing in the country’s top tier.
Her historic moment arrived when she was named in the starting lineup for Le Havre’s league fixture against table leaders Olympique Lyonnais Féminin.
When the teams were announced an hour before kickoff, Nankya’s inclusion in the starting eleven stood out. The defender, who was born and raised in Uganda, went on to complete the full 90 minutes in her first appearance in the French topflight.
Le Havre faced a difficult assignment against one of the strongest teams in European women’s football and eventually suffered a 3 to 0 defeat to Lyon.
Despite the result, Nankya’s debut represents a significant milestone for Ugandan women’s football. Le Havre currently sit eighth in the 12 team league as the season continues.
Both teams will meet again on March 18 in the Coupe de France Féminine, where Nankya could have another opportunity to face Lyon.
