Ilona Maher ends rugby hiatus with LA28 Olympics firmly in her sights

Ilona Maher has announced her return to rugby sevens, setting her sights on competing at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles after a prolonged spell away from the sport following the Paris Olympics.

The 30-year-old USA Women’s Eagles star, who won bronze at Paris 2024, confirmed the news on Instagram, writing: “LA28 Olympics Loading… The rumours are true – my cleats are back on and I’m working toward competing at the LA 2028 Olympics!”

Maher had stepped back from rugby after the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 to pursue a range of off-field ventures, including the launch of her House of Maher podcast and web series, Power Hour with Ilona. The period away cemented her status as one of the most recognisable sports personalities in the United States, with a social media following larger than any other rugby player in the world.

Her competitive return began with a trip to New Zealand, where she joined Emilie Bydwell’s USA Women’s Eagles Sevens squad for the Mount Maunganui Sevens as part of the team’s preparations for the new HSBC SVNS Series season.

Maher was candid about the challenge ahead. “Nothing is guaranteed on the road to LA28, and earning a spot on that Olympic roster will take everything I’ve got – but I’m ready to put my head down, lift the weights, do the work, and see what we can do on home soil in Los Angeles,” she wrote.

The USA have already secured qualification for the 2028 Games as the host nation. Last season, the Women’s Eagles Sevens finished third in the SVNS Series standings and fourth overall across the three HSBC SVNS World Championship stops, with a runners-up finish in Valladolid among their highlights.

Maher’s first competitive action of the 2026/27 SVNS Series season could come at the Dubai leg at the end of November, with Cape Town following on the first weekend of December.

Having helped the USA claim an Olympic podium finish in Paris, Maher has made clear she is motivated by the prospect of going one better — on home soil.