PORTLAND, Ore. — Canadian international midfielder Jessie Fleming will be joining the Portland Thorns through the 2026 season, pending her international visa and transfer certificate.
Fleming is coming to Portland after playing four years for Chelsea FC in England, where she won three consecutive Women's Super Leagues and Women's FA Cups. She also won the FA Women's League Cup and the FA Community Shield in her first season with Chelsea.
“I am very excited to be joining the Portland Thorns. More than anything, I am looking forward to being a part of the incredible community surrounding the team that is so often talked about with Portland,” Fleming said. “I feel honored to represent these people and this city, and cannot wait to get started.”
In four seasons with Chelsea, Fleming scored 10 goals and had three assists in 65 league games.
Fleming made her Canada Women's National team debut in December 2013, at 15 years old, becoming the second youngest ever to appear for the Canucks, the release said. Since then, she has scored 19 goals and six assists in her 123 appearances. Last year, Fleming earned Canada Women's Player of the Year for the third consecutive time.
She also helped Canada secure the country's first-ever Olympic Gold Medal at the Tokyo summer games in 2020 (played in 2021 due to COVID-19) by scoring the game-tying goal in the final against Sweden, which pushed the match into penalties where the team won 3-2.
“As we continue to pursue championships, it is important for us to bring in players with championship mindsets, which Jessie has, both with club and country,” General Manager Karina LeBlanc said. “After speaking with Jessie, it became very clear that the Thorns are an organization she has admired from afar; she understands how uniquely rare and special this community, fanbase and team is.”
