Katie Kitching
New Zealand footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Katie Meredith Kitching is a footballer who plays as a midfielder for Sunderland. Born in England, she is a New Zealand international.
|
Kitching with Sunderland in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Katie Meredith Kitching[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 6 September 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Bedale, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sunderland | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2021 | South Florida Bulls | 85 | (6) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | London City Lionesses | 20 | (0) |
| 2023– | Sunderland | 42 | (13) |
| International career | |||
| 2023– | New Zealand | 19 | (7) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23 February 2026 | |||
Early life
Education
Katie went to Bedale High School before going to the USA for further education.
Kitching attended the University of South Florida in the United States.[3]
Career
On 6 July 2023, Kitching was announced at Sunderland on a one year contract.[4] At Sunderland, she was described as "bringing an impressive athleticism further ahead... nothing short of a revelation, a box-to-box midfielder who is outrunning just about every opponent in her path".[5] After being named as the 2024-25 player of the season for Sunderland, it was announced on 20 June 2025 that she had signed a contract extension with the club.[6] She scored the winning goal for Sunderland in the River Wear derby on 19 September 2025 in a 2–1 victory over Durham.[7]
International career
Kitching was selected for New Zealand's 2024 Olympic squad.[8]
Style of play
Kitching mainly operates as a midfielder and is known for her passing ability.[9]
International goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 19 February 2024 | FFS Football Stadium, Apia, Samoa |  Solomon Islands | 9–1 | 11–1 | 2024 OFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament |
| 2. | 10–1 | |||||
| 3. | 6 April 2024 | Rugby League Park, Christchurch, New Zealand |  Thailand | 3–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 4. | 4–0 | |||||
| 5. | 13 July 2024 | Stade Louis Darragon, Vichy, France |  Zambia | 1–1 | 1–1 | |
| 6. | 31 May 2025 | Marbella Football Center, San Pedro Alcántara, Spain |  Venezuela | 1–1 | 1–3 | |
| 7. | 27 February 2026 | National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands |  Samoa | 4–0 | 8–0 | 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
Personal life
Kitching was born to a New Zealand mother and English father.[10]
