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.” 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.
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,” Laura Donaldson, Chicago head coach said. “That just gives an opportunity to for another player to say, ‘OK, I can do this.’”
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.
DC is a sport reporting platform crafted to dish out reliable updates on sporting activities worldwide.
