Name: Manaka Matsukubo
Nationality: Japan
Date of Birth: July 28, 2004
Position: Midfielder
Current club: North Carolina Courage
NWSL clubs played for: North Carolina Courage
North Carolina Courage midfielder Manaka Matsukubo has appeared in the vast majority of the club's NWSL matches in 2026, making nine appearances overall and accumulating 767 minutes of playing time. She has started in eight of these appearances across their 12 fixtures and entered as a substitute on one occasion.
Matsukubo last appeared in the league on May 31 for North Carolina Courage versus Angel City. In that match she scored and assisted another for her team in their 2-1 success. She has currently assisted a goal in two NWSL appearances in a row. The midfielder has netted five NWSL goals this campaign, which is tied for the fourth most by a player in the competition in 2026, whilst she also ranks joint second for NWSL assists this season having assisted four goals for her team-mates.
It was versus Bay that Matsukubo scored for the first time in the league this season in a 3-1 loss on March 28.
North Carolina Courage entertain Washington Spirit on July 11 the next time the team are in NWSL action.
Matsukubo played 26 NWSL games last season for North Carolina Courage, scored 11 goals and provided four assists.
Prior to linking up with North Carolina Courage in August 2023, Matsukubo made 12 league appearances in total at Mynavi Sendai, scoring four goals and providing one assist.
