Chicago Stars FC forward Mallory Swanson will miss the start of the 2025 National Women's Soccer League season due to personal reasons, the club confirmed on Wednesday.
Swanson, a United States international, was a finalist for the 2022 NWSL MVP award and has been the face of the Chicago franchise since arriving in 2021.
Chicago opens the season on the road on Friday against defending league champions Orlando Pride.
Coach Lorne Donaldson said Wednesday that he believed Swanson's status was week-to-week.
"Great player, if not one of the top players in the world, but the game still goes on," Donaldson said. "We still have players that we need to focus in on. And I think that gives somebody another opportunity to come out and say, `OK, I can do it' because the game is not going to wait for us."
Swanson has been absent since the start of preseason for personal reasons. The Stars announced her absence in late January and said club leadership was "fully supportive of her decision."
"I'd like to thank the club and the fans for their understanding during this time," Swanson said in a statement released in January. "I appreciate the kindness and encouragement from my teammates and all the Stars staff and hope to be back with the team and playing in front of our fans as soon as I can."
Swanson is a 2019 World Cup champion and played a key role in the USWNT's 2024 Olympic gold medal triumph. She scored four goals in last year's Olympics, including the game-winner in the 1-0 victory over Brazil in the final to lift the USWNT to its fifth Olympic gold medal.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.
