Boston Legacy FC announce midfielder Annie Karich as club’s first signing

Boston Legacy FC announced that it had signed its first player, bringing the team one step closer to the prospect of playing in the NWSL for the first time in 2026.

Annie Karich, a 21-year-old defensive midfielder from California, signs a deal with Boston that runs through the 2027 campaign (with a 2028 option).

Karich, who played for SC Freiburg in the Frauen-Bundesliga in the just finished season, was signed as a free agent. Karich played for Freiburg for two seasons, totaling 36 appearances.

She now holds the distinction of becoming Boston’s expansion team’s first player to be signed.

Karich stated, “I’m really excited to do that here in Boston,” according to the club’s announcement. “I want to grow by developing my overall game as a player and by learning how to adapt again into a new city, new team, and everything.”

Karich spent two years at Santa Clara before playing in Germany, where he won several awards, including the 2023 West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

She previously competed for the United States in the 2022 U20 World Cup and represented the country at the U15, U17, U20, and U23 levels.

The team claims that Karich will join Boston for the NWSL preseason in January after spending the rest of 2025 on loan to a Liga MX Femenil team.

In the club’s release, Legacy general manager Dom Guasch stated that Annie is a midfield player who offers a special combination of technical skill and tactical knowledge. She has also demonstrated her maturity and tenacity on the field during her time with SC Freiburg. Annie has the capacity to significantly influence our team. Her growth in our setting is something we’re excited to encourage.

Guasch can now formally begin building the team’s expansion roster with Karich’s signature. The club recently revealed that Filipa Pato, the team’s first head coach, had been hired from Portuguese outfit Benfica.

In March 2026, Boston will start its first league season with regular season games. In its debut season, the team will play its home games at Gillette Stadium; however, in 2027, it is anticipated that it would relocate to White Stadium, which has been recently refurbished.

Since 2016, Hayden Bird has been employed at Boston.com as a sports staff writer. He covers every aspect of New England sports.