January 5, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Utah Royals News Release
HERRIMAN, UTAH – Utah Royals FC today signed free-agent MF Dana Foederer for the 2024/25 National Women’s Soccer League seasons. Foederer – formerly of Netherlands-based club Fortuna Sittard and a Dutch youth international – becomes the 17th player on the 2024 expansion Utah side’s roster, with the upcoming NWSL Draft occurring on Jan. 12 and players reporting to preseason between Jan. 22-29. Utah Royals FC will play its inaugural game on March 16/17, 2024, as part of the opening NWSL weekend.
“I’m very very VERY excited to make this move, it feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Foederer, on the eve of saying goodbye to Fortuna Sittard during its winter break in the Netherlands. “Coming to the NWSL and to the Utah Royals represents the perfect chance to improve myself as player and as a human being. Everything in the U.S. football scene is bigger and better; the Utah facilities and the Royals home stadium are the best in the world, and I cannot wait to get to know the fans and be a part of the community.
“Obviously I’ve spoken with (Head Coach Amy Rodriguez), and I have a really good feeling about the chance to play for her. I’ve watched her play for the USA, as a player her level was amazing – she is a winner, pure and simple, she knows what it takes to win and all of us on the team will buy in to her vision and do everything we can to find success. I am sure we will all do anything to win, everything to support each other and to make the community proud.
“I consider myself a technical player, and I expect to fit in very well to her vision for how we want to play. I like to keep possession of the ball, we won’t just kick and run, there are so many reasons this is the perfect move for me to come play for the Utah Royals.”
A native of four professional seasons in the Netherlands, Foederer scored four goals in 48 first-division professional games with PSV, Heerenveen and Fortuna Sittard, playing primarily as either a defensive or two-way midfielder. In her 28 appearances for the Dutch U17, U19 and U20 national sides, Foederer – born July 27, 2002 in Veldhoven – boasts seven goals in 28 appearances for the KNVB.
“As we sprint towards the preseason, all of us in Utah are elated to add Dana to the group,” said URFC Sporting Director Kelly Cousins. “Again, each of these pieces will soon form a team, an entity where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts…