San Diego Wave FC on Friday announced the signing of star forward Catarina Macario to what is being called the largest contract in women’s soccer history by total value.
Macario, 26, appeared at a news conference at Snapdragon Stadium to officially begin her stint with the Wave after several years of playing soccer in Europe, while also representing the U.S. national team. Though she is a native of Brazil, Macario grew up in San Diego and attended Torrey Pines High School and San Diego Surf, the youth soccer club, from 2012 to 2017.
“This is a special moment for me,” Macario said. “San Diego is obviously where I grew up and it’s where my journey began. To have this opportunity to come back and represent this great club means a lot to me. Being in Europe for the past five years has helped me develop and understand different styles of play.”
I’m home, San Diego. t.co/MNFygltQKi
— Catarina Macario (@catarinamacario) March 27, 2026The signing, worth roughly $8 million through 2030, includes the Wave paying a $300,000 transfer fee to Chelsea FC along with using the NWSL’s new High Impact Player Rule, which allows clubs to spend up to $1 million over the salary cap on designated players. The transfer was first reported March 16, and widely speculated about prior to the signing.
Macario left San Diego to play at Stanford University and made an immediate splash. As a Cardinal, she was a key contributor to a team that won two national championships, while also claiming the MAC Hermann Trophy twice (2018, 2019) as the nation’s top collegiate player.
She then moved on to Europe, helping lead Olympique Lyonnais to the UEFA Women’s Champions League title in 2021–22. During her European career, she also secured two Division 1 Féminine titles, the Coupe de France, and the Trophée des Championnes in France.
In 2023, she joined Chelsea FC in England, helping the club secure back-to-back Women’s Super League titles (2023-24, 2024-25), along with an FA Women’s Cup (2024-25), and Women’s League Cup (2024-25).
On Oct. 8, 2020, Macario received her first call up to represent the United States at the senior level. Three months later, on the same day she took the oath to become an American citizen, she also received clearance from FIFA to represent the U.S. internationally.
Catarina Macario, seated on the right, of San Diego Wave FC during her introductory news conference at Snapdragon Stadium on March 27, 2026. (Photo by Hector Trujillo)Macario has scored 16 times in 29 appearances for the USWNT since her debut. She was also a member of the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where the U.S. earned a bronze medal.
Wave general manager and sporting director Camille Ashton called the acquisition “a monumental signing. (Macario) is a world-class player of exceptional quality, intelligence and character. Her technical ability, vision and goal-scoring instinct make her one of the most exciting talents in the game today.”
After missing the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup due to an ACL injury, Macario made her return to the U.S. national team for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup in April 2024. Two months later, she was named by her former Chelsea coach, Emma Hayes, to the 18-player roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics in France.
“Catarina’s story is a San Diego story,” said San Diego Wave co-owner Sabrina Leichtman-Levine. “She developed her skills right here in our backyard and today she returns home to represent our club and this city at the highest level. We are thrilled to welcome Catarina home.”
San Diego currently finds itself tied for third-place in the NWSL standings after back-to-back victories over the Utah Royals and Portland Thorns.
The club hosts the Chicago Stars Saturday at Snapdragon, where, during halftime, the Wave will formally welcome Macario and introduce her to fans at Snapdragon. She will not play, however. The date of her debut match is still to be determined.
“The NWSL is a different beast and that is something that I’m really excited to be a part of and contribute to,” Macario said. “I just hope the experience of playing in Europe will help me be successful here.”
The value of the Macario contract is believed to surpass the previous record set by Trinity Rodman with the Washington Spirit. Rodman’s three-year contract extension is worth $2 million per year through 2028.
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