‘Not a Straight Path’—Sophia Wilson Returns to USWNT Just Months After Giving Birth

USWNT manager Emma Hayes called up the superstar striker for the April camp.

Sophia Wilson will rejoin the USWNT. | Al Sermeno/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images

Moms really can do it all.

Sophia Wilson is returning to the U.S. women’s national team next week, just months after giving birth to her daughter, Gianna.

The 25-year-old forward, a key component in the squad’s gold medal run at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was named to manager Emma Hayes’s 26-player roster for the USWNT’s April camp. Wilson returns to the No. 2 World Ranked Stars and Stripes next week for the first time in 15 months, as they take on No. 5 Japan—the 2026 Asian Cup champions—in three separate friendlies.

“I knew from the time I got pregnant that I was going to be very patient with myself through the whole process,” Wilson told reporters Thursday. “Getting back to playing at a high level, it’s not a straight path. That’s not going to happen with the snap of my fingers. A lot of work went into it behind the scenes that a lot of people didn’t see, and a lot of work is still going into it.”

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Sophia Wilson’s Return to Play

Wilson returned to NWSL action on March 14. | Al Sermeno/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images

Wilson, who was on maternity leave for the entire 2025 NWSL season on, gave birth to her daughter in early September. She signed a contract extension with the Portland Thorns in December—worth a record-setting $1 million—and was back on the pitch by the start of this season.

The striker featured in the season opener against the Washington Spirit on March 13 at Audi Field, clocking the final 13 minutes in Portland’s 1–0 win.

Wilson has slowly amped up her participation in the games since then, making her first start for the Thorns last Saturday, recording 68 minutes in a 2–0 win over the Kansas City Current.

“Watching her play 70 minutes the other night, it was almost like, I couldn’t believe she’s had a baby and come back to perform at the level she’s done,” Hayes said Wednesday. “Real credit to her and the team around her, that I think really positioned pre- and post- pregnancy planning in a fantastic way. It’s a real credit to everyone to get her to that place.”

Added Wilson: “I’m in a really great place right now. I’ve taken this journey the right way. I think I’ve gone about it the right way. I’ve had so much support, so much help, and I haven’t felt pressured in any way ... I’ve taken my time and gone about it how I need to go about it.”

In her journey back to the field, Wilson took a lot of inspiration from past teammates who have also balanced motherhood with the physical demands of the sport, such as Alex Morgan, Crystal Dunn and Bella Bixby.

“Having those examples made me believe and know that I could do the same thing,” Wilson said.

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What’s Ahead for the USWNT?

Emma Hayes led the USWNT to a stellar March. | Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

The USWNT enters the Japan friendlies off a dominant March, hoisting the SheBelieves Cup after routing Argentina, Canada and Colombia.

The Americans are already looking ahead to the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The squad will be competing in the 2026 Concacaf Championship—the official World Cup qualifying tournament—this November.

“It’s really important for us to start getting these players like [Sophia] back into a rhythm in preparation for the World Cup qualifiers,” Hayes said.

Wilson will become the 18th mother to play for the national team, and should she find the net, Wilson would become the ninth mom to score for the Stars and Stripes.

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