Did Sophia Wilson lock in record-breaking return? USWNT star exercises player option to rejoin Portland Thorns after maternity leave

Sophia Wilson, a forward for the USWNT, has exercised her player option and will rejoin the Portland Thorns for the upcoming campaign. Sportico reports that the 2026 option is valued at $1 million, which is the largest yearly compensation in NWSL history.

Wilson's option value was initially published by Sportico. Wilson, an Olympic gold medalist for the United States in 2024 and a NWSL champion and league MVP in 2022, missed the whole 2025 NWSL season due to maternity leave. Gianna, her first child, was born in early September. The Thorns stated at the time that the deal made her the highest-paid player in the league each year, but neither they nor Wilson's management disclosed the exact amount of the record-breaking compensation.

Sophia Wilson commits to Portland Thorns again, calling her return after maternity leave “so special”

The Portland Thorns announced on Wednesday that football sensation Sophia Wilson has activated her 2026 player option and will rejoin the squad for the upcoming campaign. This past season, the 25-year-old resident of Windsor, Colorado, took time off to give birth.Wilson has lived in the Rose City her entire professional career after being chosen with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft. Sophia is thrilled to remain in Portland. Talking about it, she said: “Bringing this new version of myself back to Portland is so special to me because Portland is where I started my professional career and it’s where I’ve really grown up in a lot of ways. I’m excited for the city. I love living there. I love the people there. I’m excited to get back with everyone and play in Providence Park, to play in front of the Riveters. There’s no place like it. I don’t care what anyone says. That is the place to play and I’m excited to just be back in it!”

Wilson said in a statement:"Coming back to Portland is so special to me because Portland is where I started my professional career and where I've grown up in a lot of ways.”

Wilson, an attacker, was selected first by the Thorns in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has contributed significantly to the team's success. According to Jeff Agoos, president and general manager of soccer operations for the Thorns, Wilson will continue to be a winning element.Agoos said: “We are excited to have a world-class player like Sophia continue to call Portland her home and commit to our goals of winning an NWSL Championship in 2026… She is an exceptional global star that can change the game in an instant.

Sophia will strengthen our roster’s attack as we build on the success we saw in 2025, and we are happy to that she will represent and fight for this incredible soccer community next season.”

Sophia Wilson’s remarkable Portland Thorns legacy adds weight to her player option decision

Wilson led Stanford to an NCAA title in 2019, and the Thorns selected her first overall in the 2020 NWSL Draft. In 97 games across all competitions, she has scored 50 goals."We are thrilled to have a world-class player like Sophia continue to call Portland her home," Thorns president and general manager of soccer operations Jeff Agoos said in a statement.Wilson has received numerous honors. Here are a some of her achievements as a Thorn. She assisted the Thorns in winning the 2020 NWSL Community Shield, the 2021 Women's International Champions Cup, the 2022 NWSL Championship, the 2021 NWSL Shield, and the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup.Wilson made history in 2022 by winning both NWSL MVP and NWSL Championship MVP in one season. She was the youngest person to get both of those honors at the age of 22. Additionally, she was nominated for NWSL MVP three times in a row and was named to the 2022–2024 NWSL Best XI First Team. With 11 goals in 2023, she became the first Thorn to win the NWSL Golden Boot.Also read: USWNT star Sophia Wilson and NFL’s Michael Wilson welcome baby girl Gianna