VANCOUVER, BC (JULY 21, 2026) – Vancouver Rise FC forward Mariah Lee announced her retirement on Monday, concluding an impressive career that’s spanned seven countries and three continents. Lee will play her last game this coming Saturday, July 25 against Halifax Tides FC at Swangard Stadium.  

“Playing this sport for as long as I have has been a blessing,” said Lee. “I've gotten to pursue my dreams all over the world, and I couldn’t have imagined a better way to end my career than here in Vancouver with Rise FC.” 

Lee concludes her Rise FC career with six goals and one assist in 17 starts and 36 appearances. In the inaugural 2025 NSL season, Lee featured in every match and scored five goals on the road to Rise FC claiming the Diana B. Matheson Cup. 

“Playing in front of my loved ones, our fans, making history, and winning a championship alongside my teammates has been truly special.” 

The Covington, Washington native began her professional career in 2019 after a standout college career at Stanford University, beginning with a brief spell at Champions League side FC Lugano Femminile in Switzerland. Lee then spent the 2020 COVID-season playing for her local NWSL side Seattle Reign FC (formerly OL Reign).  

Following her time with Reign FC, she moved back to Europe to play for historic Celtic FC in the Scottish Women’s Premier League, scoring an impressive six goals in 12 games in the 2020/21 season as Celtic finished second in the league. Her career then took her to Denmark, where she played for FC Nordsjaelland for the 2021/22 season and made 24 appearances, scoring six times and registering three assists. Lee then had another stint in Spain for Sporting de Huelva at the end of 2022 before traveling across the world again to play for Adelaide United in Australia. At Adelaide United, Lee made 14 appearances in the 2023/24 season, scoring twice and registering one assist.  

After one season in Australia, she returned to the United States for the 2024 season, first playing for FC Olympia and later DC Power in the USL Super League.  

After playing her last professional game this coming Saturday, Lee will transition to attending law school at New York University, pursuing public interest law. 

“As a member of the inaugural NSL championship team in 2025, Mariah helped establish the foundation of Rise FC, and her contributions on and off the pitch will always be part of our club's history,” said Chief Soccer Officer Robyn Gayle. “While we're sad to see her step away from the game, we're excited to see her pursue a career in law and know that the qualities that made her successful on the pitch will serve her well beyond the game. We thank Mariah for everything she gave to Vancouver Rise FC and wish her all the best in this next chapter.” 

“Firstly, I want to congratulate Mariah on her new exciting journey,” said Rise FC Head Coach Anja Heiner-Møller. “Mariah has been with us from the start of our Vancouver Rise FC adventure back in the inaugural season of 2025 and we have been very proud to have her with us. She will be greatly missed.”