Kiana Palacios

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Palacios and the second or maternal family name is Hernández.
Kiana Palacios
Palacios with Real Sociedad in 2018
Personal information
Full name Kiana Angélica Palacios Hernández[1]
Date of birth (1996-10-01) 1 October 1996[1]
Place of birth Orange, California, United States[1]
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)[2]
Position Forward[1][2]
Team information
Current team
 Utah Royals
Number 21
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 UC Irvine Anteaters 67 (24)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 LA Galaxy OC 5 (3)
2018–2021 Real Sociedad 68 (13)
2021–2026 América 162 (83)
2026– Utah Royals 1 (0)
International career‡
2015–2016 Mexico U-20 8 (5)
2017– Mexico 51 (13)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing  Mexico
Pan American Games
2023 Santiago Team
Central American and Caribbean Games
2023 San Salvador
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 14 March 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 13 July 2025

Kiana Angélica Palacios Hernández (born 1 October 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for the Utah Royals of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Born and raised in the United States to Mexican parents, she plays for the Mexico national team. Palacios played college soccer for the UC Irvine Anteaters. She began her professional career with Real Sociedad, helping win the Copa de la Reina in her debut season in 2019. After three years in Spain, she joined Club América in 2021, becoming the all-time top scorer in club history.

College career

Palacios played college soccer for the UC Irvine Anteaters, converting from defensive midfielder to forward and essentially playing where the Anteaters needed her to be. She adjusted well and became the fourth-leading scorer all-time for UC Irvine with 24 goals. In her junior season, Palacios was at a point leading the NCAA in goals scored and total team points before leaving for international duty with the Mexico U-20 team in 2016, two weeks before the NCAA regular season ended.[3]

In her senior season, due to team injuries, Palacios was placed into the Central/Attacking Midfield position where she guided the Anteaters to the Big West regular season title; the Anteaters would eventually be defeated in the Big West semifinals.

Club career

LA Galaxy OC

in 2017, Palacios registered in the 2018 NWSL Draft and was selected in the fourth round by Sky Blue FC,[4] but she was not signed.

Palacios joined the LA Galaxy OC in May 2018, a now defunct women's soccer team that competed in the United Women's Soccer league, and that was created to help college players and recent graduates develop as professionals. Palacios scored three goals in five matches during her short stay with the team.[5]

Real Sociedad

On 13 July 2018, Spain's Primera División club Real Sociedad announced that Palacios had signed a one-year contract with the club.[6][7] Palacios made her debut with Real Sociedad on 16 September 2018 in a match against Málaga, coming into the game as a substitute.[8] Palacios made 25 league appearances and scored six goals during her first season with Real Sociedad.

Palacios was also key player for Real Sociedad to win the 2018–19 Copa de la Reina, the club first Copa de la Reina title in history, by scoring four goals including a goal and a assist in the final against Atlético Madrid which ended in 2–1 victory for Real Sociedad.[9] In total, Palacios made 68 league appearances and scored 13 goals during her three-year stint with Real Sociedad.

Club América

On 1 July 2021, Palacios was announced by Liga MX Femenil side Club América as their new signing.[10] she made her debut with América in match against Santos for matchday 1 of the Apertura 2021 that ended in 2–1 victory in favor of América, with Palacios scoring one goal for América during the match.[11] However, during her first season with América, Palacios struggled with injuries and poor fitness which led her to make only 22 appearances mainly as a sub and score three goals.[12][13]

During the Apertura 2022 tournament, Palacios made a return to form and became a key player in the attack for América to return to the league final after four years, as she scored 15 goals in 22 matches.[13][14] Palacios once again played a key factor during América's run to the championship of the Clausura 2023 tournament, scoring 15 goals in 18 games.

On 19 February 2026, América announced that Palacios was departing after nearly five years at the club.[15] Palacios was América's top goal scorer in all competitions and one of the players with the most appearances with the team.[16]

Utah Royals

On 3 March 2026, National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club Utah Royals announced that they had acquired Palacios for an undisclosed transfer fee.[17]

International career

Palacios represented Mexico at the 2015 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship and the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She made her senior debut on 4 February 2017 in a friendly match against Canada.[18]

Palacios made her first senior team start on July 8, 2017 against Sweden and scored her first senior team goal on April 8, 2018 against the United States in her fifth recorded cap.

Palacios was selected to represent Mexico at the 2023 Pan American Games held in Santiago, Chile, where the Mexican squad went undefeated to won the gold medal for the first time in their history at the Pan American Games, defeating Chile 1–0.[19][20]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 February 2026[12][21]
Club Season League Cup[a] League Cup [b] Continental [c] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
LA Galaxy OC 2018 United Women's Soccer 5 3 — — — 5 3
Total 5 3 — — — 5 3
Real Sociedad 2018–19 Primera Division 25 6 4 4 — — 29 10
2019–20 Primera Division 16 4 1 0 — — 17 4
2020–21 Primera Division 27 3 1 0 — — 28 3
Total 68 13 6 4 — — 74 17
Club América 2021–22 Liga MX Femenil 22 3 — — — 22 3
2022–23 Liga MX Femenil 40 30 — — — 40 30
2023–24 Liga MX Femenil 40 18 1 0 — — 41 18
2024–25 Liga MX Femenil 30 18 — 3 2 6 3
2025–26 Liga MX Femenil 30 14 — — 4 3
Total 162 83 1 0 3 2 10 6 176 91
Career total 235 99 7 4 3 2 10 6 255 111

International goals

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 8 April 2018 BBVA Stadium, Houston, United States  United States 2–1 2–6 Friendly
2. 28 July 2019 Estadio Universidad San Marcos, Lima, Peru  Jamaica 1–0 2–0 2019 Pan American Games
3. 1 February 2020 H-E-B Park, Edinburg, United States  Saint Kitts and Nevis 1–0 6–0 2020 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Championship
4. 15 February 2023 Estadio León, León, Mexico  Nigeria 1–0 1–0 2023 Women's Revelations Cup
5. 18 February 2023  Costa Rica 1–0 1–1
6. 29 June 2023 Estadio Las Delicias, Santa Tecla, El Salvador  Puerto Rico 4–0 4–0 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games
7. 3 July 2023  Jamaica 3–0 7–3
8. 4–1
9. 5 July 2023  Guatemala 2–0 6–0
10. 22 October 2023 Estadio Elias Figueroa Brander, Viña del Mar, Chile  Jamaica 3–0 7–0 2023 Pan American Games
11. 1 December 2023 Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón, Puerto Rico  Puerto Rico 2–0 3–0 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup qualification
12. 3–0
13. 26 October 2024 Estadio Agustín "Coruco" Díaz, Zacatepec, Mexico  Venezuela 1–0 3–0 Friendly

Honours

Real Sociedad

Club América

Mexico

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Delanteras de la Selección Nacional Femenil Sub20" (in Spanish). MiSeleccion.mx. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Kiana Palacios". UC Irvine Athletics. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Kiana Palacios – Women's Soccer". UCI Athletics. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Sky Blue FC makes five selections in 2018 NWSL College Draft". Sky Blue FC. Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  5. ^ "Kiana Palacios". United Women's Soccer. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  6. ^ "Refuerzo para la delantera" (in Spanish). Real Sociedad de Fútbol S.A.D. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  7. ^ Tiempo, Editorial Medio. "Kiana Palacios, fichaje mexicano para la Real Sociedad Femenil". Mediotiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Real Sociedad vs. Málaga – 16 September 2018 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Real Sociedad women end Atletico double dreams with Cup win". 13 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  10. ^ "América femenil anunció el fichaje de Kiana Palacios, procedente de la Real Sociedad". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  11. ^ López, Ada Xanat. "Kiana Palacios, refuerzo del América, tiene debut soñado en triunfo ante Santos". TUDN (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Kiana Angélica Palacios Hernández". Liga MX Femenil. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  13. ^ a b Demos, Editorial; Hernández, Erendira Palma. "La Jornada – Kiana Palacios, de la desmotivación a goleadora". www.jornada.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  14. ^ "¡Semifinal de locura! Chivas se quedó en la línea con Kiana Palacios cerrando el pase de América". ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). 8 November 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  15. ^ Reza, Alejandro (21 February 2026). "Kiana Palacios causa baja del América Femenil antes del Clásico Nacional". Diario AS (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  16. ^ "Kiana Palacios dice adiós al América en el Clausura 2026: ¿Cuál será su nuevo equipo?". Águilas Monumental (in European Spanish). 21 February 2026. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  17. ^ "URFC Signs Mexican International Kiana Palacios from Club América". Utah Royals. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  18. ^ "La SNM Femenil cayó 3–2 con Canadá en duelo de preparación" (in Spanish). MiSeleccion.mx. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  19. ^ "Mexico takes soccer gold with 1–0 win over Chile". Reuters. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  20. ^ "Santiago 2023: Mexico beats shorthanded Chile for women's football gold". olympics.com. 4 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  21. ^ "Kiana Palacios Stats at ESPN". ESPN. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
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