By OkayGoal 
While the 2026 season is off and running, there is much to be excited about with the return of many significant players. Injuries and maternity leave have placed players away from the pitch, but now we are beginning to see the return of many of them. Here we will look at the top players that have returned or are nearing their return to the soccer field.
Sophia Wilson
Following the birth of her first baby girl, Gigi, Sophia Wilson has made her way onto the pitch. Regardless of her absence since September 2025, Wilson looks phenomenal in the game. Still, she is making her way back to MVP form and regaining the rhythm of the game.
There is tons of excitement surrounding Wilson’s return as she is an electric and top-tier striker in the game. Especially with the addition of Gigi cheering her on the sidelines, Wilson has so much to look forward to this season. We can’t wait to see how Wilson shows out this season for the Thorns!
Tierna Davidson
A midfield maestro, Davidson has made her return to the field for Gotham. After recuperating and recovering from her ACL injury since April of last year, Davidson has now slowly but surely made her way back to playing form. Even though Gotham is stacked and loaded with talent, Davidson surely turns her skillset up a notch. With her weaving and on-ball capabilities, there’s no doubt we will be seeing Davidson competing on the field as the season progresses.
Temwa Chawinga
Goalscorer and last year’s NWSL MVP, Chawinga made her first appearance this season on April 4 when KC Current defeated Gotham 2-1. Despite being away from the game due to a hip injury, Chawinga is aiming to return to playing form and show the league she is still the reigning MVP.
She is operating under a managed workload, so it won’t be until a bit more time before we will see Chawinga playing 45+ minutes. Yet, any moment Chawinga is on the field serves as a danger for opponents as she has shown and proven over the years her expertise in goal-scoring.
Catarina Marcario
Marcario is currently out for the San Diego Wave with a heel injury. This injury kept Marcario out of the Champions League and USWNT SheBelieves Cup. She has been experiencing this injury since December 2025.
Yet, the excitement of seeing Marcario show out for Wave has not lessened. Being in her hometown and a tenacious striker has all eyes on the Wave this season. Even without Marcario in the lineup, San Diego is truly making a splash in the league’s first few weeks of play. It will be exciting to see Marcario lace up for the Wave.
Mallory Swanson
USWNT and Chicago Stars veteran, Mallory Swanson is no stranger to stellar play on the pitch. She has proven to be a stellar finisher for both the USWNT and Stars. Swanson is currently on maternity leave and has no expected date of return. Even though it is unclear when she will be back on the pitch, Swanson is no doubt a pivotal piece for the growth of women’s soccer.
Yet, with mere assumption and hope, we should see Swanson in action later in the 2026 season. Swanson’s baby girl, Josie, will be cheering Swanson on when she returns to the field just like the rest of us soccer fanatics.
Featured image via @tierna_davidson