U.S. women’s national team forward Mallory Swanson could soon make her first appearance for the Chicago Stars after 18 months away. Swanson, who missed the entirety of the 2025 season due to pregnancy, was added to the active roster ahead of Chicago’s game against North Carolina Courage on Saturday.
The team did not specify whether Swanson would start or how many minutes she could play.
The 28-year-old forward was notably absent from the 2025 offseason before she and her husband, Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson, announced last May that they were expecting their first child. The couple welcomed Josie in November 2025. The Colorado native is one of 28 mothers signed to active rosters in the NWSL.
Swanson is part of the U.S. front three, affectionately nicknamed “Triple Espresso,” that led the country to a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The other two attackers, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Wilson, also missed significant time in 2025. Rodman was recovering from injury, while Wilson also took time away to start her family. The latter gave birth to her daughter, Gigi, in September and returned to the Portland Thorns at the start of the season. Wilson got back to her scoring ways quickly, with three goals in 562 minutes so far this season.
In 2024, Swanson returned from injury to win Olympic gold and record the most goal contributions (11) for Chicago. She signed a long-term contract with the Stars earlier that year, which runs through 2028. The club called it the “most lucrative agreement in the history of the National Women’s Soccer League,” but did not disclose the financial terms. However, CBS Sports reported at the time that the contract, in total, was close to $2 million over five years. In the time since, Wilson opted into a $1 million option year with the Thorns. Meanwhile, Rodman’s current contract helped create a new rule in the NWSL that allows teams to spend $1 million above the salary cap to keep players of her stature. Rodman’s deal is worth upward of $2 million per year.
Swanson’s return will be a much-needed boost for the Stars, who have lost their last three games by multiple goals. Chicago has been shut out seven times so far this season. Swanson is the third-highest goalscorer in Stars history with 23 career goals for the club.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Chicago Red Stars, NWSL, Women's Soccer
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