Gotham FC defender Emily Sonnett undergoes season-ending knee surgery
Gotham FC announced that center back Emily Sonnett had surgery on a ruptured patellar tendon, ending her 2026 season and casting doubt on her World Cup prospects.
During a match in Portland on July 24, Gotham FC’s star center back Emily Sonnett was taken off the field on a stretcher after sustaining a left-knee injury. The club later disclosed that she had surgery to repair a ruptured patellar tendon, ruling her out for the remainder of the 2026 season. Gotham, the defending NWSL champions and sitting second behind the Washington Spirit, lost a key defensive anchor who has helped the team win the 2025 Concacaf W Champions Cup and this year’s NWSL Challenge Cup.
Sonnett, a three-time league champion and two-time Olympian, also faces uncertainty about her role with the U.S. women’s national team as the 2027 World Cup approaches. Yael Averbuch West, Gotham’s president of soccer operations, said the organization will support Sonnett throughout a recovery period that can range from six to twelve months. The club did not provide a specific timeline for her return.
Why it matters
Sonnett’s injury removes a top defender from both Gotham’s title chase and the U.S. national team’s World Cup plans.
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