Mia Fishel Bio
Mia Renee Fishel, born April 30, 2001, in San Diego, California, is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Seattle Reign FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States women’s national team. Standing 5 feet 7 inches tall, Fishel has built her reputation as a clinical goalscorer across three professional leagues and the international stage. After a decorated college career at UCLA, she rose to prominence in Mexico with Tigres UANL before moving to English Women’s Super League side Chelsea. Fishel now continues her career in the NWSL with Seattle Reign FC.
Early Life and Background
Born and raised in San Diego, California, Mia Fishel attended Patrick Henry High School, where she played two seasons of high school soccer as well as basketball. She earned first-team All-CIF honors in soccer as a sophomore, marking her out as one of the top young players in the region. Fishel also played her club soccer with ECNL side San Diego Surf SC, an environment that helped sharpen her game against top-tier national competition.
Fishel comes from a family with deep soccer roots. Her uncles, Andrew and David Bascome, both played international soccer for the Bermuda national team, and her cousin Druw Bascome has also pursued the sport at a high level. Mia later published a children’s book, Big Fish, in late 2024, reflecting a creative side that complements her athletic career.
Path to Soccer
Fishel’s progression through the U.S. youth national team system began with the under-15 squad and continued with the under-17 and under-20 teams. In 2016, she was part of the team that won the 2016 CONCACAF Girls’ U-15 Championship, earning player of the tournament honors with seven goals. Two years later, she helped the United States win the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship and scored at the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
In 2020, Fishel added a third regional youth title at the 2020 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship, where she set a new all-ages national record with 13 goals, including two in the 4–1 final win over Mexico. She finished as runner-up in the golden boot race behind Haiti’s Melchie Dumornay but was voted player of the tournament, and was a finalist for U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year in 2020.
Mia Fishel Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
Fishel played three seasons of college soccer for the UCLA Bruins at the University of California, Los Angeles from 2019 through 2021, while majoring in psychology. As a freshman, she appeared in all 24 games and led the Bruins in scoring with 14 goals, including five in the postseason, as UCLA reached the College Cup semi-finals. She earned Pac-12 All-Freshman Team and All-Pac-12 third-team honors, ranking third among freshmen nationally in goals.
In 2020, Fishel ranked second in goals for the Bruins with six and tied for the team lead with six assists, helping UCLA win its first Pac-12 title since 2014. She added All-American second-team and All-Pacific Region first-team selections. In 2021, UCLA went unbeaten in the regular season and retained the Pac-12 championship, though the Bruins were upset by unranked UC Irvine in the NCAA Tournament. Fishel led the team with 12 goals and earned her second consecutive United Soccer Coaches All-America honor, before declaring early for the 2022 NWSL Draft.
Tigres UANL Breakthrough (2022–2023)
On December 18, 2021, Fishel was selected in the first round, fifth overall, by Orlando Pride in the 2022 NWSL Draft. However, on January 14, 2022, she chose to forgo the NWSL and signed with Mexican Liga MX Femenil club Tigres UANL, citing the chance to compete for championships and her criticism of the draft system. She made her debut on January 31, 2022, as a substitute in a 1–1 draw with Tijuana, and four days later scored twice in her first start, a 4–2 win over Mazatlán.
Fishel scored 17 goals in 17 appearances during the 2022 Apertura, becoming the first foreign player to win the Liga MX Femenil golden boot. That prolific output established her as one of the top strikers in North America and laid the foundation for a move to Europe.
Chelsea Era (2023–2025)
On August 4, 2023, English Women’s Super League club Chelsea announced the signing of Fishel from Tigres on a three-year contract, reportedly paying a $250,000 transfer fee. She made her Chelsea debut on October 1, 2023, against Tottenham Hotspur and scored her first goal for the club in the 28th minute of a 2–1 victory. Across two seasons, Fishel scored two goals in fourteen appearances for Chelsea.
Her Chelsea tenure was interrupted by an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered on international duty in February 2024, which kept her out for over a year. Fishel returned to the pitch on March 23, 2025, as a substitute in Chelsea’s 2–1 victory against Manchester City.
Seattle Reign FC Era (2025–Present)
On July 10, 2025, Seattle Reign FC announced the signing of Fishel through the 2029 NWSL season, marking her return to American soccer. She made her NWSL debut on August 1, 2025, entering as an 80th-minute substitute in a 2–0 win over Angel City FC. The move gives Fishel a long-term platform to showcase her scoring ability in her home country.
Notable Events and Milestones
Fishel’s career has been defined by record-breaking scoring feats, including becoming the first foreign player to win the Liga MX Femenil golden boot in 2022. She also set a new United States all-ages national record with 13 goals at the 2020 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship. Her senior national team debut came on September 24, 2023, against South Africa, and she scored her first senior international goal on October 29, 2023, in a 3–0 friendly win over Colombia in her hometown of San Diego.
Mia Fishel Career Wins
Mia Fishel has collected silverware at every level of the women’s game, from youth international titles to senior club competitions. Her trophy cabinet includes multiple CONCACAF youth championships, two Pac-12 titles with UCLA, and competitive honors at Tigres UANL and Chelsea in the Women’s Super League.
Tigres UANL Highlights
During her time at Tigres UANL, Fishel won the 2022 Liga MX Femenil golden boot with 17 goals in 17 appearances, making her the first foreign player to claim the award. Her prolific scoring helped Tigres compete for top honors in Liga MX Femenil, and her form attracted the attention of top European clubs.
Other Wins and Performances
At the international level, Fishel won the 2016 CONCACAF Girls’ U-15 Championship, the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship, and the 2020 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship. With UCLA, she was part of back-to-back Pac-12 championship-winning squads in 2020 and 2021, and earned two United Soccer Coaches All-America selections.
Mia Fishel Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Fishel has strong family ties to the game through her Bermudian relatives. Her uncles, Andrew and David Bascome, both played international soccer for Bermuda, and her cousin Druw Bascome is also an accomplished player. Fishel even faced her cousin Druw on the field when the United States met Bermuda at the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship.
Personal Life
Born and raised in San Diego, California, Fishel continues to be identified closely with her hometown, where she scored her first senior international goal in 2023. She expanded her public profile beyond soccer with the publication of her children’s book, Big Fish, in late 2024.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked a fresh chapter for Mia Fishel after her long recovery from the ACL injury suffered in February 2024. After returning to action for Chelsea in March 2025, she moved to Seattle Reign FC in July, signing a contract that runs through the 2029 NWSL season. Her NWSL debut on August 1, 2025, against Angel City FC gave Reign fans a first look at the forward in league play.
Fishel’s return to full fitness and her integration into a Reign side seeking to climb the NWSL standings position her as a focal point of the club’s attack for the rest of the season. With her proven scoring pedigree from Tigres, Chelsea, and the U.S. youth national teams, Seattle Reign FC invested in a player whose best years still appear to be ahead of her.
