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Jeff Kassouf
Multiple Authors
Hina Sugita, midfielder for Angel City FC, has suffered a torn left ACL and will be placed on the season-ending injury list, as announced by the team on Tuesday.
Sugita, an international player for Japan and a two-time World Cup veteran, moved to Angel City from the Portland Thorns in a significant trade last September, with plans to center the midfield strategy around her for the 2026 season.
“Hina is a world-class athlete and an excellent teammate,” said Angel City head coach Alex Straus in a statement. “We are heartbroken for her, but we believe she will approach her rehabilitation with the same dedication and focus that she demonstrates on the field. The entire team and organization stand with her, and we will provide full support throughout her recovery process. We look forward to welcoming her back.”
Sugita was not in the lineup for Angel City’s season opener, where they secured a 4-0 win against the Chicago Stars on Sunday.
Having joined Angel City from Portland, Sugita played four matches for the team in 2025. The trade involved defender M.A. Vignola and a sum of $600,000 in intra-league transfer funds sent to the Thorns.
At that time, Angel City sporting director Mark Parsons expressed pride in acquiring “a championship-caliber player to Angel City.”
Sugita has achieved 51 caps for Japan’s national team.
This injury is not the first challenge for Angel City at the start of the season. Two years ago, fellow Japan international Jun Endo suffered an ACL tear during preseason, forcing her to miss the entire 2024 season and half of 2025 while recovering.
Endo also missed Sunday’s season opener and was reported out due to knee issues. She mentioned on social media last month that “it’s not a new injury and I didn’t re-tear my ACL. There’s just still a significant imbalance between my left and right side.”
At that time, she indicated she would be training separately from the team for the following four weeks, projecting a return by mid-March.