West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of Switzerland international Nadine Riesen following her departure from Frauen-Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.
The defender has put pen to paper on a three-year contract at the Club and becomes Rita Guarino’s fourth signing of the summer transfer window after the arrivals of Katie Zelem, Constance Picaud and Laia Codina.
A full-back who thrives in both halves of the pitch, Riesen joins the Hammers with experience in the UEFA Women’s Champions League and on the international stage, having also played in Switzerland and Germany’s top flights.
But the 26-year-old is now looking forward to donning the famous Claret and Blue in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
“When I heard about West Ham’s interest in me, I was super excited. It’s a huge Club with a proud history and I’m very happy to be here,” she said. “I spoke with Seraina [Piubel] and she was really positive about the Club. It already feels like a family here and everyone has given me such a warm welcome since I arrived.
“The Women’s Super League is one of the best leagues in the world so this is a massive opportunity for me to continue my development in a new environment, challenge myself and keep doing what I love most - playing football!
“I really like Rita’s ambition for the team. There is a lot of potential within this group and I hope that, together, we can achieve great things.”
Riesen has been playing first-team football since the age of 15, when she plied her trade with FC St Gallen before spending two seasons at Swiss top-flight side BSC Young Boys.
Then, the defender enjoyed a fruitful two seasons at FC Zürich Frauen, alongside fellow Hammer Seraina Piubel, where she won back-to-back league titles in 2022 and 2023, as well as the Swiss Cup in 2022.
With plenty of UEFA Women’s Champions League experience from her time in Switzerland, Riesen made the move to Germany to play for Frauen-Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023, where she became a first-team regular from the 2024/25 season - making 69 appearances and contributing nine assists.
During her spell at Frankfurt, the defender had a summer to remember as Switzerland hosted UEFA Women’s Euro 2025. Riesen, who has won 42 caps for her country since her senior debut in June 2019, featured in all four of Switzerland’s matches and scored in their opening group game against Norway.
Speaking about her fourth signing of the summer, Head Coach Guarino said: “We’re delighted to bring Nadine to the Club.
“She is a full-back with pace and attacking quality that will complement our playing style. Nadine is someone who works extremely hard for the team and has a never-say-die attitude, which is something that we value within this group.
“Over the last few years, she has grown into an important player for her national team and that experience at the international level will be really valuable for us. We’re excited to work with her and believe she can continue to develop as a player at West Ham United.”
