Lia Wälti

Lia Joëlle Wälti (; born 19 April 1993) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Women's Super League club Brighton & Hove Albion and captains the Switzerland national team. Before signing for Arsenal in July 2018, she played for Nationalliga A club YB Frauen from 2009 until 2013 and for Bundesliga club Turbine Potsdam from 2013 until 2018.

She has been a member of the Switzerland national team since August 2011. As an Under-19 international she played the 2009 U-19 European Championship and the 2010 U-20 World Cup. In 2025, she captained Switzerland to their home European Championship, where they reached the quarter-finals.

In March 2026, Wälti co-founded the company WNXT Agency, a sports marketing agency specifically for female athletes.

Club career Early career In her childhood, Wälti played ice hockey as well as football. In 2002, at the age of 8, she started playing for FC Langnau, a boys football team coached by her father. In 2007 she was admitted to the Huttwill Training Centre and, half a year later, she joined Team Bern West. In 2009 she moved to BSC Young Boys, where she played for a year in the U16 boys' team.

FC Köniz At the same time she played for Team Bern West, Wälti joined FC Köniz of the Swiss Challenge League.

BSC YB Frauen

In 2009, Wälti joined BSC YB Frauen, where, in 2011, she won the Nationalliga A. In the same year, she debuted in the UEFA Women's Champions League.

Turbine Potsdam In 2013, Wälti signed a contract with 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam of the Frauen-Bundesliga. She was named captain in her second season and played 110 games between 2013 and 2018.

Arsenal After 110 appearances with the German team, Wälti signed a contract with Arsenal in July 2018. Wälti was instrumental in Arsenal's 2018–2019 WSL league winning season although only played half of the season after she suffered a LCL injury which kept her out of football for 9 months In April 2019. She was included in the 2018–2019 PFA Team of the Year. On 13 December 2019, Wälti signed a long-term contract with the club.

She later managed to achieve the 2024–25 UEFA Women's Champions League with the club. In September 2025, after 7 years and 183 appearances for Arsenal, Wälti announced her departure from the club.

Juventus On 4 September 2025, Wälti joined Serie A side Juventus by signing a contract until 2027.

Brighton & Hove Albion On 4 July 2026, Wälti returned to the Women's Super League by joining Brighton & Hove Albion for undisclosed terms.

International career Youth Wälti played in the 2008 U-17 European Championship. She also played for the Switzerland U19 team in 2008 and 2009. She reached the semifinals in the 2009 U-19 European Championship. The next year, she joined the U20 team at the 2010 U-20 World Cup.

Senior On 21 August 2011, Wälti made her debut for the Switzerland senior team in a match against Scotland. In 2015, she played at the World Cup. In 2019 after the retirement of Lara Dickenmann, she was named captain.

On 23 June 2025, Wälti was called up to the Switzerland squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025.

Personal life Wälti carries her mother's surname, a former national handball player, while her father, Andreas Aebi, played football in the first division.

As a child Wälti played numerous sports outside of Football including Handball, Volleyball and Athletics. She stated that when she grew up she wanted to be either a kindergarten teacher or an ice hockey player. She used to attend SCL Tigers home matches as a child.

Career statistics

Club

International Scores and results list Switzerland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wälti goal.

Honours BSC YB Frauen Nationalliga A: 2010–11

Turbine Potsdam DFB-Pokal Frauen runners-up: 2014–15

Arsenal FA WSL: 2018–19 FA Women's League Cup: 2022–23; runners-up: 2018–19, 2019–20 UEFA Women's Champions League: 2024–25

Juventus Serie A Women's Cup: 2025 Supercoppa Italiana: 2025

Individual PFA Team of the Year: 2018–19 Swiss Female National Player: 2021, 2023 Arsenal Player of the Month: January 2024