TANZANIAN forward Aisha Masaka has joined English Women's Super League side Brighton and Hove Albion.

Aisha (pictured) has put pen to paper to serve the English topflight side on undisclosed terms as she signs from Swedish side BK Häcken, a club she spent two and half years with. 

A Brighton and Hove Albion statement read: “We are delighted to announce the signing of striker Aisha Masaka from BK Hacken on undisclosed terms, subject to the usual regulatory processes.” 

Zoe Johnson, managing director of Brighton and Hove Albion women’s and girls’ football, said, “We’re really excited to welcome Aisha to Brighton. 

“She’s competed at a high and testing level in Sweden and represented Hacken in the Champions League.

“She’s a physical striker who is dominant on the ball and a natural goalscorer. We’re looking forward to welcoming her to Albion ahead of the new season.”  

The 20-year-old joined Hacken in 2022 from Young Africans in Tanzania, having previously played for Alliance FC of Mwanza. 

In her two seasons at Hacken, the forward helped them finish second in the Swedish Women’s League and they reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League last season before losing to PSG.  

Upon leaving BK Häcken, Aisha said: “I am very sad to leave BK Häcken, but now I have an opportunity to gather new experiences. I am leaving BK Häcken now but it will be my club forever. 

“It is a fantastic club where we have the same conditions and facilities as the men. We have played good football and it is a professional club where I have really felt at home.” 

During her time in the Tanzanian Premier League, Aisha won ‘Best Goal Scorer’ in the 2020/21 campaign after netting 35 goals in 20 matches for Young Africans. 

At international level she has won 15 caps for Tanzania, scoring nine goals since making her Twiga Stars debut in 2021.  

Aisha also played for Tanzania at the under-17 COSAFA Cup when Serengeti Girls won the tournament and she finished top goal scorer. 

She was also part of the Tanzania squad that qualified for AWCON 2024 and will head to Morocco next year. 

The 2024/25 English Women's Super League season will start across the weekend of September 21-22. 

Aisha’s move to Brighton makes her the second Tanzanian footballer to play in the English top-flight leagues, following Mbwana Samatta’s stint with Aston Villa on the men’s side. 

More significantly, she becomes the first Tanzanian to join the English Women’s Super League, marking a historic moment for Tanzanian women’s football.

Aisha’s arrival at Brighton is seen as a significant boost for the club ahead of the new season. Her ability to perform at high levels and her goal-scoring talent are expected to strengthen the team’s attacking options.

Brighton fans and football enthusiasts alike will be eager to see how Aisha adapts to the English league and contributes to her new team’s success.

Brighton & Hove Albion Women’s Football Club has been steadily building a competitive squad and Masaka’s signing is a testament to their ambition. 

The club’s efforts to enhance their squad with international talent underline their commitment to competing at the highest levels of women’s football.

As the new season approaches, all eyes will be on Aisha as she aims to make her mark in the English Women’s Super League and inspire a new generation of footballers in Tanzania and beyond.