Alanna Kennedy Bio
Alanna Stephanie Kennedy (born 21 January 1995) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a defensive midfielder and centre-back for Women’s Super League club London City Lionesses and the Australia national team, known as the Matildas. Standing 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in), she has built a reputation as a versatile defender with technical quality and a strong right foot. Across more than a decade in the sport, she has played club soccer in Australia, the United States and England, while representing her country at multiple FIFA Women’s World Cups and Olympic Games.
Early Life and Background
Kennedy was raised in Rosemeadow, a suburb of the Macarthur Region in south-western Sydney, New South Wales. She attended Westfields Sports High School, a selective sports school known for producing Australian athletes. Growing up in Campbelltown, Kennedy was the only girl on an all-boys youth team, an experience that helped shape her competitive edge from an early age.
She played her grassroots soccer with the Campbelltown Cobras before moving into the Girls Skills Acquisition Program (GSAP) at Macarthur Rams. Kennedy has described the Rams training ground as her second home during her formative years, highlighting how the local club environment influenced her development. Her progress through these programs eventually led to selection for representative youth teams in Australia.
Path to Professional Soccer
Kennedy’s youth pathway included time with the Australia U-17 squad in 2008 and 2009, followed by the Australia U-20 team from 2011 to 2014. She made her senior international debut against New Zealand in 2012, while still a teenager. At the 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, she was just 19 years old and appeared in three matches as Australia finished runner-up to Japan.
Her club pathway began in the W-League, where she quickly rotated through several Australian clubs while still developing. That early exposure to top-flight domestic soccer, combined with international youth caps, prepared her for the demands of full-time professional football. By her late teens, she was already combining domestic league play with senior national team duties.
Alanna Kennedy Career
W-League Beginnings (2010–2017)
Kennedy launched her W-League career with Sydney FC in the 2010–11 season, making three appearances. The following season she moved to Newcastle Jets before returning to Sydney FC in 2012–13. She then joined Western Sydney Wanderers for 2013–14 and Perth Glory in 2014, gaining experience across multiple clubs in Australia’s top flight.
In 2015, Kennedy returned to Sydney FC and remained with the club for two seasons. During this stretch she became a fixture in the W-League, winning championships with Sydney FC and earning recognition as one of the league’s standout defenders. She was later named to the Westfield W-League’s Team of the Decade, an all-time XI selected by fan vote, after joining Melbourne City on loan for 2017–18.
Western New York Flash and Orlando Pride (2016–2020)
In 2016, Kennedy signed with the Western New York Flash of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States. She played 17 games during the regular season and featured in every minute of the Flash’s two playoff games, helping the club win the 2016 NWSL Championship in her first North American season.
On 19 January 2017, Kennedy was traded to Orlando Pride in exchange for midfielder Sam Witteman. She appeared in every match for the Pride in 2017 and scored a stoppage-time free kick winner on 30 September to lift Orlando to third place and their first playoff berth. In 2018 she scored twice in 20 appearances, though Orlando missed the playoffs, and a 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup campaign was cut short when the Pride withdrew due to COVID-19 cases among players and staff.
Sydney FC W-League Success (2018–2020)
After a season on loan at Melbourne City, Kennedy signed with Sydney FC for the 2018–19 W-League season, returning to a familiar club. On 16 February 2019, she won her third W-League Championship title, defeating Perth Glory 4–2 in the grand final. She re-signed for the 2019–20 season and returned to the grand final, where Sydney FC fell 1–0 to Melbourne City.
Tottenham Hotspur (2020–2021)
Unable to feature for Orlando Pride in 2020 due to pandemic-related issues, Kennedy moved to FA WSL side Tottenham Hotspur on a six-month loan in August 2020. Her NWSL rights were later acquired by Racing Louisville FC in the 2020 NWSL Expansion Draft. Upon the expiration of her loan, Kennedy signed permanently with Tottenham until the end of the season before being released on 25 May 2021.
Manchester City (2021–2025)
At the end of August 2021, Kennedy signed a two-year deal with Manchester City, joining her Matildas teammate Hayley Raso at the club. She spent three and a half seasons with Manchester City, serving as an experienced centre-back in the Women’s Super League. On 21 January 2025, Kennedy announced she was leaving the club after her contract expired.
Angel City FC (2025)
Kennedy signed a one-year deal, plus an option for an extra year, with NWSL side Angel City FC on 21 January 2025. She made her debut on 16 March in a 1–1 home draw against San Diego Wave FC. On 9 May she recorded her first assist for the club, setting up Christen Press in a 2–0 win over Utah Royals, and on 9 August she scored her first Angel City goal, a stoppage-time equaliser in another 1–1 draw with San Diego Wave.
London City Lionesses (2025–Present)
During 2025, Kennedy returned to the Women’s Super League by signing with newly promoted London City Lionesses for the 2025–26 season. She wears the number 33 shirt and continues to add top-flight experience to a club newly established in England’s top division.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kennedy is recognised as a versatile and technical player who is comfortable operating as a centre-back or in a defensive midfield role. She is a right-footed free kick specialist and has produced important set-piece goals for both club and country throughout her career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kennedy helped Western New York Flash win the 2016 NWSL Championship and later won multiple W-League titles with Sydney FC. She has appeared at three Olympic Games, including Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, and represented Australia at the 2015, 2019 and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cups.
Alanna Kennedy Career Wins
Across her club career, Kennedy has won the 2016 NWSL Championship with Western New York Flash and multiple W-League titles with Sydney FC. She has also earned additional domestic honours, including recognition with the Westfield W-League’s Team of the Decade selection.
W-League Highlights
Kennedy has won at least three W-League Championship titles with Sydney FC, including her 4–2 grand final victory over Perth Glory on 16 February 2019. Her most recent W-League appearance came during the 2019–20 season, when Sydney FC lost the grand final 1–0 to Melbourne City.
Other Wins and Performances
In addition to her W-League success, Kennedy contributed to Western New York Flash’s 2016 NWSL Championship run. At international level, she was part of the Matildas squad that won the 2017 Tournament of Nations, defeating the United States for the first time in program history.
Alanna Kennedy Family
Personal Life
Kennedy is openly lesbian. She was previously in a relationship with Australian influencer Sophie Cachia, a relationship Cachia publicly described as something to which both parties contributed. Beyond this publicly documented relationship, Kennedy keeps her private life largely out of the spotlight.
2025 Season Performance
In 2025, Kennedy began the year by leaving Manchester City after three and a half seasons and signing with Angel City FC in the NWSL on 21 January. She made her Angel City debut in March, recorded her first assist in May and scored her first goal in August, becoming a regular contributor in central defence for the Los Angeles-based club.
Midway through the year, Kennedy returned to England by signing with newly promoted London City Lionesses for the 2025–26 Women’s Super League season. She joined a club building its squad for a first top-flight campaign and brought veteran leadership to a young roster.
At international level in October 2025, Kennedy was sent off with a red card for a foul on Alessia Russo during a friendly against England in Derby, a match the Lionesses won 3–0. She was later named Most Valuable Player of the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup after scoring five goals in the tournament, even as Australia finished as runners-up following a 1–0 defeat to Japan in the final.