Zambia goalkeeper Hazel Nali has joined Saudi Arabian women’s top-flight side Al Taraji Ladies ahead of the 2026-27 season, marking a new chapter in the goalkeeper’s career.
Al Taraji earned promotion to the Saudi Women’s Premier League after winning the second-tier championship last season, and Nali now joins the club as they prepare for their first campaign in the country’s top flight.
The move also sees Nali become the latest Zambia international to make the switch to the rapidly developing Saudi women’s game. Fellow Copper Queens player Xiomara Mapepa was part of Al Taraji’s promotion-winning squad last season, contributing two goals and two assists in four appearances during the campaign.
Nali, 28, had been on the books of ZESCO Ndola Girls since July 2025 after joining the club on a two-year loan from Green Buffaloes Women Football Club. During her spell with ZESCO Ndola Girls, she helped the team win the ZPL Women’s Super League and finish second at the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers.
Her move to Saudi Arabia represents another important step after a difficult period away from competitive football. Nali suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2023 and subsequently underwent surgery, ruling her out of Zambia’s preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The goalkeeper has since worked her way back into competitive football, returning to action and helping ZESCO Ndola Girls achieve domestic success before securing the opportunity to continue her career abroad.
Now, Nali will join Al Taraji as the club prepares for its debut season in the Saudi Women’s Premier League. Her arrival also adds another Zambia international to a league that has increasingly attracted African players as women’s football continues to expand in Saudi Arabia.
For Nali, the move represents a fresh chapter and an opportunity to continue her career at a new level after successfully working her way back from a serious injury.
Hazel Nali is off to Saudi Arabia. 🇿🇲🇸🇦
