Nimfasha Berchimas is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer (MLS). He gained attention after signing a professional contract at just 14 and later becoming the club’s first academy graduate to appear in an MLS regular-season match. His performances for the United States at two FIFA U-17 World Cups have also established him as a notable young player in American soccer.
Born on February 22, 2008, Berchimas developed through North Carolina’s youth soccer system before entering the professional game. His playing experience spans Crown Legacy FC and United States youth national teams, with several milestones achieved in international tournaments. In August 2026, his progress was interrupted by a foot injury that required surgery.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Nimfasha Berchimas |
| Development team | Crown Legacy FC |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Professional soccer player |
| Playing position | Forward / winger |
| Professional club | Charlotte FC |
| Youth development | NC Fusion, Charlotte FC Academy |
| National team | United States youth national teams |
Who Is Nimfasha Berchimas in American Soccer?
Nimfasha Berchimas is a Charlotte FC forward whose professional career began unusually early. Charlotte FC gave him his first professional contract in November 2022, while his first appearance in an MLS match came in February 2024, two days after his 16th birthday. Alongside his first-team opportunities, he has gained regular competitive experience with Crown Legacy FC in MLS NEXT Pro.
His background spans several countries. According to U.S. Soccer’s November 2023 profile, he was born in Tanzania to a family with Burundian roots. His parents brought him to the United States when he was only a few months old. He spent his early childhood in Georgia before the family made High Point, North Carolina, their home when he was nine.
He started playing soccer around age four after watching his father play at home. His first experiences with soccer came at home, years before he joined NC Fusion and later entered Charlotte FC Academy.
Although his senior MLS appearances have been limited, his international record includes four goals across the 2023 and 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cups. He also became the first American player to score in two editions of the competition.
Berchimas’s Path from Youth Soccer to His MLS Debut
Berchimas developed his skills with NC Fusion before joining Charlotte FC Academy in 2020 at around 12 years old. His progress brought opportunities outside the United States, including an invitation to train with Bayern Munich’s academy in Germany from July 9 to 18, 2022.
A few months later, Charlotte FC offered him his first professional agreement.
On November 17, 2022, Berchimas signed a Homegrown contract at 14 years and 268 days old. He became the sixth-youngest player to sign an MLS contract at that time and Charlotte FC’s second Homegrown signing.
The original agreement covered the period through 2026, with a club option for 2027.
In the club’s announcement, he expressed excitement about becoming a professional soccer player, describing the opportunity as the achievement of an ambition he had held since childhood.
His first professional appearance came with Crown Legacy FC on March 26, 2023, against Huntsville City FC in MLS NEXT Pro. Later that season, on September 17, he scored his first professional goal against New England Revolution II, securing a 1–0 victory.
The following year brought his senior breakthrough.
On February 24, 2024, Berchimas entered Charlotte FC’s 1–0 win over New York City FC as a late substitute. At 16 years and two days old, he became the first player developed through Charlotte FC’s academy to appear in an MLS regular-season match.
Like Berchimas, fellow MLS Homegrown player Justin Ellis progressed through a club academy and development team before earning first-team opportunities.
He was also the ninth-youngest player to make an MLS debut at that point in league history.
Speaking about his debut afterward, Berchimas said he had felt calm and confident throughout the occasion, without experiencing the nerves he might have expected. He also spoke about the satisfaction of finally making an appearance he had worked toward for years.
His first-team opportunities remained limited during 2024, with three MLS regular-season appearances totaling approximately 20 minutes. Much of his competitive development continued with Crown Legacy.
Berchimas’s Scoring Record at the 2023 and 2025 U-17 World Cups
Berchimas attracted international attention during the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia, where he represented the United States at 15 years old.
He was the youngest member of the American squad and the youngest player selected for a U.S. U-17 World Cup team since Freddy Adu in 2003.
His tournament began with an impressive scoring performance against South Korea on November 12, 2023. Berchimas scored twice as the United States secured a 3–1 victory in its opening match.
Three days later, he added another goal against Burkina Faso, bringing his tournament total to three.
The 2023 tournament was only his first appearance on that international stage. In 2025, he returned to represent the United States at another FIFA U-17 World Cup, this time in Qatar.
On November 8, 2025, he scored a 30th-minute equalizer against Tajikistan. By the final whistle, the American side had secured a 2–1 victory.
By playing and scoring in the 2025 tournament, Berchimas achieved two American firsts: no U.S. player before him had appeared at two FIFA U-17 World Cups or found the net in each of them.
Across both tournaments, he recorded four goals: three in 2023 and one in 2025.
These achievements form a significant part of his international career, separate from his appearances in domestic professional competitions.
Crown Legacy Performances and His Historic 2025 Hat-Trick
Crown Legacy FC has provided Berchimas with regular opportunities to compete at the professional development level while remaining connected to Charlotte FC‘s first-team pathway.
After making eight MLS NEXT Pro regular-season appearances in 2023, he increased his scoring output to six goals during the 2024 season.
On August 22, 2025, Berchimas faced Inter Miami CF II in a match where he scored three goals for Crown Legacy FC.
Berchimas entered the match in the 57th minute and scored three times as Crown Legacy recorded a 6–0 victory. No Crown Legacy player had previously scored three goals in a single match.
The achievement came in MLS NEXT Pro rather than the MLS first division, where his playing record was considerably smaller.
His development-team performances continued into 2026. According to Opta’s recorded statistics, he produced eight goals and three assists in 16 MLS NEXT Pro appearances during that season.
His eight goals surpassed the six he recorded in the competition during 2024.
His 2026 U.S. Youth Selection and Foot Injury
Berchimas remained involved with the United States youth national-team program in 2026.
In July, U.S. Soccer selected him for the U-19 squad competing in the Concacaf U-20 Championship under head coach Gonzalo Segares.
He featured in the United States’ 3–0 victory over El Salvador on July 28, contributing to the team’s attacking play during the group stage.
Shortly afterward, his club season was interrupted by an injury.
Charlotte FC announced on August 7, 2026, that Berchimas had undergone successful surgery the previous day to treat a broken foot.
Charlotte FC’s initial recovery estimate was approximately 12 weeks, although no return date had been confirmed.