Donald Benamna (born 14 September 1996) is a Central African Republic footballer who plays as a

forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People *Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Smal ...

for

USL League One USL League One (USL1) is a professional men's association football, soccer league in the United States that had its inaugural season in 2019 USL League One season, 2019. The United States soccer league system, Division III league is operated ...

club

Texoma FC Texoma FC is an American professional soccer team based in Sherman, Texas. First announced in 2023, the team plans to play in USL League One beginning in 2025 and USL W League in 2026 at Historic Bearcat Stadium. History On October 23, 2023, t ...

Personal life

Born in

Bangui Bangui (; or Bangî in Sango language, Sango, formerly written Bangi in English) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities in the Central African Republic, largest city of the Central African Republic. It was established as a Fren ...

, Central African Republic. He moved to the United States when he was twelve years old.

College and amateur career

Benamna began playing

college soccer College soccer, called college football in some countries, is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. While it is most widespread in the United States, it is also prominent in Japan, South Kore ...

San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1897, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CS ...

in 2014, before making transfers to

San Jacinto College San Jacinto College () is a public community college in the Greater Houston area, with its campuses in Pasadena and Houston, Texas. Established in 1961, San Jacinto College originally consisted of the independent school districts (ISD) of Chan ...

in 2015, and later to the

University of Central Arkansas The University of Central Arkansas (Central Arkansas or UCA) is a public university in Conway, Arkansas, United States. Founded in 1907, the university is one of the oldest in the state. As the state's only normal school at the time, UCA has hist ...

in 2017. Benamna spent part of 2016 with

USL PDL USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States, forming part of the United States soccer league system. The league will feature ...

side Ocean City Nor'easters. Benamna spent both 2018 and 2019 playing with NPSL side Little Rock Rangers.

Club career

In September 2019, Benamna signed for

NISA NISA may refer to: * National Independent Soccer Association, a third tier United States soccer league * National Intelligence and Security Agency of Somalia * Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, part of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade a ...

side

Stumptown Athletic Stumptown AC, formerly Stumptown Athletic, was an American professional soccer team that played in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA). The club was based in Matthews, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte. History Founding Follo ...

ahead of the league's inaugural season. In 2022, Benamna had spells with

USL League Two USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States, forming part of the United States soccer league system. The league will featu ...

side

Charlotte Eagles The Charlotte Eagles is an American amateur soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1991, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at the ...

and NISA side

Maryland Bobcats FC Maryland Bobcats FC, formerly World Class Premier Elite (WCPE), are an American soccer team and academy based in Montgomery County, Maryland, which was founded in 2016. The organization's professional team competes within the National Independent ...

. On 23 February 2023, Benamna signed with

side

Northern Colorado Hailstorm Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC is an American professional soccer team based in Windsor, Colorado. The club was founded in 2021, and made its competitive debut in 2022. The team is owned by the Katofsky family and the Future Legends ownership gr ...

after a successful trial. Following a short spell in the Moroccan third tier with US Amal Tiznit, Benamna returned to the United States in 2025, joining USL League One side

ahead of their inaugural season.

International career

In October 2019, Benamna was called up for the first time for the

Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to Central African Republic–Chad border, the north, Sudan to Central African Republic–Sudan border, the northeast, South Sudan to Central ...

for a friendly match against

Niger Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...

. His debut came 2020, in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group E match versus Morocco. He continued to be named in the Central Africa Republic squad for their

2026 FIFA World Cup The 2026 FIFA World Cup, marketed as FIFA World Cup 26, will be the 23rd FIFA World Cup, the Anniversary#Latin-derived numerical names, quadrennial international men's Association football, soccer championship contested by the List of men's n ...

qualifiers.

References

External links

Profile
at San Diego State Athletics
Profile
at Central Arkansas Athletics
Profile
at Stumptown Athletic {{DEFAULTSORT:Benamna, Donald 1996 births Living people Central African Republic men's footballers Central African Republic men's international footballers Central African Republic emigrants Men's association football forwards San Diego State Aztecs men's soccer players Ocean City Nor'easters players Stumptown AC players Charlotte Eagles players Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC players Footballers from Bangui Soccer players from Maryland USL League Two players National Premier Soccer League players National Independent Soccer Association players Central Arkansas Bears soccer players Texoma FC players Central African Republic expatriate men's footballers Expatriate men's footballers in Morocco Central African Republic expatriate sportspeople in Morocco