East Wake Times

The North Carolina Courage and forward Manaka Matsukubo have agreed to extend her contract through the 2026 NWSL season. The club confirmed this decision on Friday, after exercising their option to purchase her contract outright last June following a year-long loan from Mynavi Sendai.

In 2024, Manaka contributed significantly to both her club and country. She scored two goals, provided one assist, and created 15 chances in over 1,000 minutes for the Courage during the NWSL regular season. Internationally, she played a pivotal role in Japan's journey to a silver medal at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup by scoring three goals and receiving three Player of the Match awards. Her performance earned her the tournament’s Silver Ball as the second-best player in the competition and led to her first senior call-up to the Japanese national team in October.

Head Coach Sean Nahas expressed his satisfaction with Manaka's extension: “Signing Manaka to an extension is great for us. She is an extremely talented young player who is truly just getting started and we are excited she will continue developing with us in North Carolina. She’s a spry, technically savvy, and intelligent player who can change the game in an instant. The trust she has shown in our club and staff is greatly appreciated and we love the fact she wants to stay in Courage country. We look forward to seeing her continue to grow and shine inside the lines.”

Since joining Cary on loan in July 2023, Manaka has proven herself as a key player for the Courage. She quickly made an impact by scoring a decisive goal with a volley during the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup just two months after arriving. In total, she has five goals and two assists across 30 appearances for the team.