Racheal Banda's Third Straight NWSL Best XI Selection

ORLANDO, Fla. — Racheal Banda is turning a hot start into a full-blown takeover of the NWSL season.

On Friday, the league named the Orlando Pride striker to its Best XI of the Month, presented by Prime, for May — her third straight selection to open the 2026 campaign. The recognition, voted on by the NWSL Media Association and the league’s on-air broadcast talent, again puts Banda at the heart of a star-studded group drawn from eight different clubs.

No one in the league is matching her output. Banda leads the NWSL Golden Boot race with 11 goals in 12 games, a ruthless clip that has made her the most feared finisher in the country. May was her most emphatic statement yet: six goals, one assist, and a string of decisive moments that kept Orlando’s season humming.

The numbers tell one story. The timing tells another.

Twice in May, Banda supplied the game-winner at Inter&Co Stadium. First came the 1-0 victory over the North Carolina Courage on May 8, a tight contest cracked open by the Zambian’s finishing touch. Then, on May 29, she buried Bay FC in a 3-1 win, again providing the decisive edge in front of the home crowd.

She didn’t just score. She scored in bunches. Banda produced two braces during the month, the first against the Washington Spirit on May 2, the second in that same 3-1 triumph over Bay FC that underlined her dominance. Every time defenses thought they had adjusted, she found another gear.

Her impact stretches beyond this blistering month. With 36 goals in 54 matches across all competitions, Banda already sits second on the Pride’s all-time scoring chart, climbing the club’s history at a pace that suggests records will not stand for long.

For now, the league hits pause during the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, a rare breather in a season Banda has spent in constant motion. Orlando will return on Friday, July 3, when the Pride travel west to face Angel City FC at BMO Stadium, with kickoff set for 10 p.m. ET on Prime Video.

When the whistle blows in Los Angeles, all eyes will turn to the same question: who stops Racheal Banda next?