Chicago Stars FC Announce 2026 Preseason Roster
Chicago Stars FC announced the club’s preseason roster today ahead of the 2026 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season. The team enters the preseason with 30 players: 19 returning, seven new and four non-rostered invitees. The Stars will train at the Bridgeview Sports Dome beginning January 20 until February 1, when the team travels to Spain for the first-ever international preseason training trip.
For the first time in club history – and as another example of the club’s continued growth and investment in the team – the Chicago Stars will travel internationally for preseason training. From February 1 to February 19, the team will set up camp at a world-renowned soccer complex in Murcia, Spain. The facility has hosted some of the world’s most decorated clubs and national teams, and will be where the Chicago Stars call home as the club prepares for the upcoming NWSL season. Stars players will have access to a soccer-specific training facility to maximize development and preparation at a location with favorable weather conditions that permit regular outdoor training sessions. While in Spain, the Stars will play three friendly matches, with the first two versus European clubs: February 6 against Danish side, HB Køge and February 11 against Spanish side, Alhama CF. The Chicago Stars’ third friendly match in Spain will be announced in the coming days.
Among the players returning this season are fan favorites, including Julia Grosso, Jameese Joseph and Sam Staab, all of whom agreed to new, multi-year contracts with the Chicago Stars to extend their time with the team. During the offseason, Chicago re-signed forward, Nádia Gomes, who returns for her third season with the Stars after recording career highs in matches played and started, scoring two goals and recording two assists. Also returning for her 11th season with the club is goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher. The decorated keeper holds many club records with the Stars, including the most regular-season starts and appearances (165), minutes played (14,821), saves (512) and clean sheets as a Chicago Star (46). Last season, Naeher also added a goal to her career stats when she scored the match-tying goal against Seattle Reign FC in 3-0 comeback draw for the club.
The offseason saw the Chicago Stars welcome seven new players to the team, including Michelle Alozie, Ryan Gareis, Katie Lund and Brianna Pinto. Alozie is a defender that plays on the Nigerian Women’s National Team, is a two-time Olympian and AFCON Champion. Gareis, originally from Naperville, Illinois, returns as a forward to play for her hometown team. Katie Lund is a goalkeeper and three-time NWSL Ironwoman that joins the Stars from Racing Louisville FC. Brianna Pinto is a midfielder and two-time NWSL Challenge Cup Champion that joins the team from the North Carolina Courage. The Stars also recently welcomed three rookies to the team: Tessa Dellarose, Emma Egizii and Elise Evans. Dellarose and Egizii are former NCAA Champions with the University of North Carolina and UCLA, respectively, while Evans joins from Stanford, where the defender was both an ACC and PAC-12 Champion.
The Chicago Stars also welcomed three new technical staff members: goalkeeper coach, Daniel Ball; assistant coach, Mariana Cabral; and head of performance, Sebastian Larsson. Coach Ball brings extensive experience in the NWSL to Chicago, having coached at Gotham FC and, most recently, at Angel City FC. Coach Cabral joins the Stars from Utah Royals FC, where she served as an assistant coach for the 2025 NWSL season and was the former head coach at Sporting Clube de Portugal. Larsson arrives to Chicago from Hammarby IF, where he worked alongside Stars head coach, Martin Sjögren, as the club’s head of performance. Former goalkeeper coach, Brenton Saylor, and head of performance, Jimmy Haley, departed the Chicago Stars during the offseason. The club wishes them the best in all their future endeavors.
Forwards, Jameese Joseph and Mallory Swanson, will not begin preseason with the Chicago Stars, as Joseph is currently at camp with the United States Women’s National Team and Swanson continues on maternity leave.
The Chicago Stars kick off the 2026 regular season March 15 in Los Angeles against Angel City FC. The club returns to Chicago the following week to play their home opener at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium Sunday, March 22, at 1 p.m. CT against the Kansas City Current. Tickets for all Chicago Stars home matches, including Season Ticket Memberships, Flex Packs and single-match tickets, are available now at chicagostars.com/tickets.
Chicago Stars FC Roster (current as of January 20, 2026):
Goalkeepers (4): Katie Lund, Halle Mackiewicz, Mackenzie Wood (D45), Alyssa Naeher
Defenders (8): Michelle Alozie, Samantha Angel, Elise Evans, Kathrin Hendrich (INTL), Natalia Kuikka (INTL), Mackenzie Malham (NRI), Taylor Wood, Sam Staab
Midfielders (10): Tessa Dellarose, Emma Egizii, Bea Franklin, Julia Grosso (INTL), Hannah Gryzik (NRI), Manaka Hayashi (INTL), Maitane (INTL), Morgan McDonald (NRI), Leilanni Nesbeth, Brianna Pinto
Forwards (8): Jenna Bike, Ivonne Chacón (INTL), Ryan Gareis, Nádia Gomes, Micayla Johnson, Jameese Joseph (NYR), Maya Matesa (NRI), Mallory Swanson (ML)
Key:
D45 – 45-Day Injury List
INTL – Denotes International Player
ML – Maternity Leave
NRI – Non-rostered invitee
NYR – Not yet reported
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