Huge news dropped on Tuesday, Emerald City! Reign FC’s leading scorer, Maddie Mercado, is officially locked in through 2027. Her contract option just got exercised, meaning our breakout star isn’t going anywhere and stays right here in Seattle. This is a massive win for the club and a huge relief for anyone bleeding green and blue!
From Draft Pick to Deal Maker
Talk about earning it, right? We all knew Mercado was due to become a free agent at the end of the year, which had us all a little on edge. The thought of losing our leading scorer? Brutal. But turns out, our girl had a benchmark in her contract that automatically triggered this option! She hit it, and boom, she’s ours for 2027. No last-minute drama, no nail-biting negotiations, just pure performance speaking for itself. Remember when she first came to us as a second-round draft pick out of Notre Dame back in 2024? She only had five appearances and one goal, in the season finale against Orlando, that rookie year. It was a glimpse, but nothing like this. Then 2025 was a struggle; one assist early, minutes dwindling, and she even went on loan to Carolina Ascent of the Gainbridge Super League. But you know what? That loan spell was *huge* for her development! She absolutely lit it up, bagging four goals in six appearances for Ascent and quickly got recalled to the Reign, making three starts to wrap up that season. She worked for this, grinding her way back, and now we’re seeing the payoff!
Mercado’s Monster 2026 Campaign
Let’s be real, this year has been *the* breakout campaign for the 25-year-old. She’s been a force! Seriously, Mercado is one of only two players who’s been in *every single game* for the Reign this season. That’s dedication, consistency, and pure grit right there, showing up for her team every single week. She’s racked up eight goals in her 22 appearances, and get this: three of those were absolute game-winners! Those are the moments that truly change a season, you know? Remember that clutch assist to Maddie Dahlien in the recent 1-0 victory over Houston? Pure class, a moment of brilliance that sealed the win. Her nine career goals now put her ninth on the Reign’s all-time scoring list. Ninth! And she’s only 25, just getting started. Keeping this kind of firepower, this kind of clutch player, on the roster is exactly what we need to push forward. It’s a statement that we’re serious about our attack for the long haul.
So, with Mercado staying put through 2027, it’s a huge sigh of relief and a massive win for the Reign as they look ahead. This security allows the front office to shift its full attention to the other five impending free agents: Shae Holmes, Phoebe McClernon, Cassie Miller, and Emily Mason. And of course, the legendary Jess Fishlock, who has already announced her intention to retire after this season. Getting Mercado locked in secures a vital, dynamic piece of our future attack, a player who has proven she can deliver when it counts. It’s a massive step for the club, building stability with a core talent, and we can’t wait to see what else she does on the pitch in the games to come this season and beyond. Let’s go Reign, let’s keep this momentum rolling!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Sounder at Heart.
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