USWNT forward Mallory Swanson will miss Chicago Stars' first NWSL game, return unclear
U.S. women's national team star Mallory Swanson will not play in the Chicago Stars' season-opening match on Friday against the Orlando Pride. The club has not disclosed more details about the forward's absence since announcing in January that she was sitting out due to personal reasons.
The team had said they 'are fully supportive of her decision.' The team's social media posts have also been without Swanson leading up to the 2025 season.
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'Maybe (the Stars' communications team) can answer more, but to me, it's a week-to-week thing,' coach Lorne Donaldson said on Wednesday. 'And I can just give her space and let whatever happens happen. We can't do much about her situation right now because that's her space right now.
'We just want her to be happy and we are always behind her.'
Swanson last played a competitive game on Nov. 8, 2024, starting as Chicago fell in the first round away at Orlando. She was omitted from Emma Hayes' United States squads in the November and December, January and SheBelieves Cup camps along with fellow star forwards Sophia Wilson and Trinity Rodman. While Wilson has since announced that she's pregnant and Rodman is front and center as the Washington Spirit prepare to kick off their season, Swanson's absence has yet to be explained.
Playing without Swanson is an immediate setback for Chicago, which will also be without defenders Sam Staab and Natalia Kuikka for this weekend's trip to Orlando due to injuries. In 2024, Swanson was the runaway team leader in combined goals and assists (11), shots, chances created, crosses and touches in both the final third and the opponent's box.
'Top player in the world but the game still goes on and we still have players that we are focusing on,' Donaldson said. 'That just gives an opportunity to for another player to say, 'OK, I can do this.''
The Stars — which rebranded away from their original Red Stars moniker ahead of the 2025 season — played much of 2023 without Swanson after she suffered a torn patellar tendon in April. That year's team finished last in the NWSL standings, albeit under Donaldson's coaching predecessor and a very different roster.
As it stands, Chicago will lean on an attacking corps involving Ally Schlegel, Brazil international Ludmila (who will serve the final part of a three-game suspension on Friday), Jenna Bike, Ava Cook, Jameese Joseph, Portugal international Nádia Gomes, Sarah Griffith and rookie Micayla Johnson.
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