Pakistan women's national team defender Kayla Siddiqi has joined Vietnamese champions Ho Chi Minh City Women's FC ahead of the 2026/27 AFC Women's Champions League, marking an important move for one of Pakistan's key players.
The 23-year-old centre-back has been registered as one of the club's three foreign players for the continental competition, alongside American defender Chesna Rielly Marie and Brazilian forward Joelma.
According to Vietnamese media, Siddiqi arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on September 16 and has been training with the squad ahead of their AFC Champions League campaign, which begins on November 1 in India.
Watch the club's official announcement below.
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A Key Player for Pakistan
Siddiqi has established herself as one of Pakistan's most important defenders, becoming a key pillar of the national team's backline.
She was particularly impressive during Pakistan's FIFA Series 2026 campaign in Ivory Coast, where she played an important role in the team's defensive performances.
The defender helped Pakistan secure a clean sheet in their historic 8–0 victory over Turks and Caicos Islands and delivered strong performances against Mauritania and hosts Ivory Coast.
The move also marks her return to club football after a lengthy spell without a documented competitive appearance. Siddiqi last played college football for Florida Atlantic University in October 2025, meaning nearly 11 months had passed before her move to Vietnam.
During her final college season, she made 19 appearances, including 15 starts, and recorded one assist.
Watch Kayla Siddiqi's 2025 highlights below.
Siddiqi becomes another Pakistan international to represent Ho Chi Minh City, following national team captain Maria Khan, who previously played for the Vietnamese club in the AFC Women's Champions League. Khan was part of the squad that reached the semi-finals in the 2024/25 edition and returned for the following season's continental campaign.
AFC Women's Champions League Fixtures
Ho Chi Minh City are one of Vietnam's most successful women's clubs, having recently won their 15th national league title and eighth consecutive championship.
The Vietnamese side reached the semi-finals of the AFC Women's Champions League in 2024/25 before progressing to the quarter-finals in 2025/26.
For the upcoming edition, Ho Chi Minh City have been drawn into Group B alongside East Bengal of India, April 25 of North Korea and Hwacheon KSPO of South Korea.
Their group-stage fixtures are:
- November 1: Ho Chi Minh City vs East Bengal (India)
- November 4: Ho Chi Minh City vs April 25 (North Korea)
- November 7: Ho Chi Minh City vs Hwacheon KSPO (South Korea)
All three matches will take place in Kolkata, India, with the Vietnamese champions scheduled to depart on October 28.
The competition features 12 clubs divided into three groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed sides, will advance to the quarter-finals.
The matches are expected to be available on YouTube, and we will also share the streams here on PakFutball so Pakistani fans can follow Siddiqi's AFC Champions League campaign.
The move offers Siddiqi a valuable opportunity to compete against some of Asia's strongest women's clubs and gain experience that could also benefit Pakistan's national team.
We wish Kayla Siddiqi the very best of luck as she begins this exciting new chapter of her career in Vietnam.
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