The San Diego Wave have finalized what is believed to be the most valuable total contract in women’s soccer history, signing United States forward Catarina Macario ahead of the closing of the NWSL's transfer window.
Macario agreed to a contract with San Diego through the 2030 NWSL season worth roughly $8 million in total value, as reported by Jeff Kassouf of ESPN. Multiple sources confirmed to ESPN that the Wave completed a transfer with Chelsea for approximately $300,000 to bring the forward to the club immediately. Macario’s contract with the English side was set to expire this summer.
The NWSL transfer deadline closes at midnight Monday.
San Diego plans to use the NWSL’s new “high impact player” rule to help structure Macario’s compensation. The rule, ratified by the league’s board of governors in December, allows teams to pay certain star players from a fund of up to $1 million outside the league’s salary cap if the player meets specific criteria. The NWSL Players Association has challenged the rule.
The NWSL’s team salary cap for the 2026 season is $3.7 million after adjustments related to revenue sharing.
San Diego had also explored the possibility of signing Macario once her Chelsea contract expired later this year. However, with her deal nearing its end and the NWSL season already underway, the two sides moved forward with a transfer now. Macario has not recently appeared for Chelsea in part due to injuries.
The Wave opened the 2026 season Saturday with a 1-0 home loss to the Houston Dash.
Macario has strong ties to San Diego. After moving from Brazil with her family in 2011, she spent part of her childhood in the city and played youth soccer there.
In addition to the Wave, she also received interest from European clubs including Barcelona but preferred San Diego due to her personal ties.
Macario became a U.S. citizen in late 2020, making her eligible to represent the U.S. women’s national team. She has scored 16 goals in 29 appearances for the national team, including eight goals in 10 matches last year.
She is expected to play a significant role for the U.S. as the team prepares to pursue a fifth Women’s World Cup title in Brazil next year.
