Nigeria international defender Chidinma Okeke has officially joined Italian club Napoli Women from Mexican side América Femenil.
The 26-year-old defender completed the move on Friday, September 18, signing a two-year contract that will keep her at Napoli until 2028.
Okeke joins the Italian club after two seasons with América, where she helped the team win the 2025/26 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
During the 2025/26 season, the Nigerian played 27 matches in the Liga MX Femenil and featured in seven Champions Cup games.
The move to Napoli marks another step in Okeke’s international career, having previously played in Nigeria, Spain, Japan and Mexico.
She started her career with Robo Queens in Nigeria before moving to Madrid CFF in Spain in 2019. She later joined Japan’s Mynavi Sendai before signing for América in August 2024.
At Napoli, Okeke can play both as a centre-back and full-back, giving the team another defensive option ahead of the new Serie A Women season.
The defender also has considerable experience with the Nigerian national team. She featured at the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
She was also part of the Super Falcons squad at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Okeke’s first competitive appearance for Napoli could come on September 26, when the club begin their 2026/27 Serie A Women campaign away to Juventus at Biella. The match is scheduled for 12:30pm in Italy, which is 11:30am Nigerian time.
Napoli finished seventh in the 2025/26 Serie A Women season. The new campaign will feature 12 teams, with the top three earning places in the UEFA Women’s Champions League and the bottom team being relegated to Serie B.
Speaking after joining the club, Okeke said she was happy with her first days in Naples after meeting the coach, staff and her new teammates.
She added that her aim is to give her best and contribute to the team.
