Nigerian international Flourish Chioma Sabastine has completed a move to Portuguese champions SL Benfica Women, signing a long-term contract that will keep her at the club until 2029, with an option to extend for an additional year.
The 21-year-old forward joins Benfica from Turkish Women’s Super League side Fenerbahçe, with the Portuguese club officially announcing the transfer on Monday, August 3, 2026.
Benfica unveiled the Super Falcons attacker with a series of official posts and a presentation video. Sabastine was pictured holding a custom red scarf emblazoned with “SABASTINE 2029”, posing with her new jersey at the club’s stadium before sending a warm message to Benfica supporters.
The move marks another significant milestone in the Nigerian’s rapidly progressing career, following an impressive campaign in Turkey. Sabastine scored 12 goals in 25 appearances during the 2025–26 season, playing a key role in helping Fenerbahçe secure their first-ever Turkish Women’s Super League title.
Born in Aba, Abia State, on October 20, 2004, Sabastine began her football journey with Unnich FA before making her name with Bayelsa Queens. She enjoyed domestic success with the Nigerian club and was part of the team that finished third at the 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League.
Her performances earned her a move to the French side Stade de Reims in 2023 before she switched to Turkish giants Galatasaray a year later. In July 2025, she crossed the Istanbul divide to join rivals Fenerbahçe, where her goalscoring exploits attracted interest from across Europe.
On the international stage, Sabastine has represented Nigeria at both youth and senior levels. She featured for the Falconets at the 2022 and 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups, scoring three goals across eight appearances, before making her senior Super Falcons debut in a friendly against Japan in 2022.
Speaking after completing the move, Sabastine revealed that former Benfica midfielder Christy Ucheibe played an important role in her decision to join the Portuguese champions.
“We spoke several times, and she spoke very highly of the team. It was very important for me,” Sabastine said, adding that Ucheibe described Benfica as a club where she felt at home and developed tremendously as a player.
Benfica have established themselves as the dominant force in Portuguese women’s football in recent years and remain regular participants in the UEFA Women’s Champions League competition. The club believes Sabastine’s pace, work rate, and eye for goal will strengthen their attacking options ahead of the new season.
For Sabastine, the move represents another major step in her European journey and an opportunity to compete at an even higher level. Nigerian football fans will be hoping the talented forward continues her impressive development as she begins an exciting new chapter in Lisbon.
