Elite soccer players are continuing to thrive after pregnancy and motherhood

In recent years, the elite women’s soccer world has begun treating pregnancy and postpartum return not as a disruption, but as a high-performance transition that requires planning, medical support, and less pressure on players. 

Key Takeaways:

• Women's soccer has been increasingly adding more support and resources for pregnant and parenting players.

• Sophia Wilson, a member of the United States Women's National Soccer Team, recently returned to the field after taking a postpartum hiatus.

• Wilson said she was given the freedom to be patient with herself, and return to soccer when she felt ready.

The Details:

The International Federation of Professional Footballers’ (FIFPRO) new postpartum Return-To-Play launched a guide in 2024 to aid professional footballers and those involved in their lives to better understand and address the responsibilities and demands of pregnancy and parenthood. Previously, the FIFA Maternity Regulations, introduced in January 2021 after advocacy from FIFPRO, were set up to protect the rights of professional footballers who become pregnant during their careers.  

Players like Sophia Wilson returned to the United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNST) in April 2026 following a hiatus after giving birth in 2025. Wilson, who welcomed her daughter in early September, returned to competition on March 14, coming on for the final 13 minutes of the team’s season opener against Washington at Audi Field. Since then, she has played in every match, slowly increasing her playing time. She also recently logged 68 minutes in a match against the Kansas City Current.

Yet Wilson admitted that she was not coerced to head back to the pitch, opting to be “patient” with herself during the process.

“I knew from the time I got pregnant that I was going to be very patient with myself through the whole process, even during pregnancy,” Wilson said, adding, “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.” 

She continued:

“Getting back to playing at a high level is not just a straight path. It’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."

Wilson scored four goals in 12 appearances for the second-placed Thorns, and her smooth return to the USWNT this year has showcased her clear intent and sustained momentum in her sport. 

“For me, it’s (about) being gracious with myself and going into it with the perspective of, ‘look at what my body has done for me and what it’s still continuing to do for me’, and knowing that it is very possible to be great at both things — be a great mom and be a great athlete,” Wilson said.

Regarding Wilson's post-pregnancy performance, head coach Emma Hayes said:

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. 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.

Zoom In:

There are an increasing number of athletes opting to embrace motherhood while at the zenith of their careers. With broader support systems, particularly within the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the USWNT, athletes like Wilson are making the most of the resources now available. 

There is a growing understanding in the sports world that pregnancy and motherhood are not hiccups or endpoints in an athlete’s career, but a phase that can coexist with high-level competition. 

Wider societal acceptance of working mothers, increased visibility of athletes returning to elite play after childbirth, and considerable progress in medical care, infrastructure, and support for women balancing motherhood with professional sport, have catalyzed this rise. 

Consequently, players presently can look forward to a level of care and backing that was previously unheard of, as explained by Emily Kraus, a sports medicine physician at Stanford University working with the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance. 

“You’re not going to be alone on an island with your baby breastfeeding, trying to understand how to get a workout in or get strong and feeling this like pressure to come back. Women feel like now there’s help,” Kraus said. 

And as more athletes embrace motherhood, others will feel empowered to do the same.

Wilson said witnessing superstar Alex Morgan arrive at camp with her daughter, Charlie, years earlier left an indelible impression, especially as Morgan returned to top-level play after becoming a mother. Wilson alluded to other moms in the sport, including Crystal Dunn and Bella Bixby, as role models as well.

“Having those examples made me believe and know that I could do the same thing," Wilson said. "I’m very fortunate to have gone through this when we did have more support than (players had) previously. I do still think there’s a long way to go, but I’m just very fortunate (to be) in the position I’m in right now."

Just like Wilson, Mallory Swanson returned to action in 2026 following her maternity leave, having been reinstated to the Chicago Stars’ active roster after welcoming a child in November 2025. She is likewise expected to elite competition.

“When it comes to pregnancy and postpartum, I don’t think there is one way to do it,” Swanson said. “There’s an outline that you can follow, but everyone’s pregnancy and delivery and postpartum are completely different.” 

Other elite athletes, including track stars Allyson Felix and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and tennis legend Serena Williams, were becoming pregnant and then returning to competition, often at an even higher level than before motherhood. 

The Bottom Line:

The example of elite soccer players returning back to play after pregnancy and embracing motherhood are encouraging, as they show what genuine support for women seeking to balance both motherhood and careers appears like: safeguarding, respecting, and accommodating motherhood instead of penalizing it. Too often,  contemporary public life and mainstream media narratives regard pregnancy as a problem to be managed around work.