United States forward Catarina Macario has joined the San Diego Wave FC ahead of the NWSL’s transfer window on what is believed to be the biggest total contract value in women’s soccer history, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Macario has signed with the Wave through the 2030 NWSL season for a total contract worth roughly $8 million in total.
Multiple sources confirmed that Macario will join the Wave immediately on a transfer from Chelsea for roughly $300,000, where her contract was set to expire this summer. The NWSL’s transfer deadline closes at midnight on Monday.
ESPN reported last month that San Diego was the front-runner to sign Macario. Sportico first reported the finalized transfer and contract value.
The Wave will use the NWSL’s new High Impact Player rule to pay Macario. The rule, which was ratified by the NWSL’s board of governors in December and has been challenged by the NWSL Players Association, allows teams to pay star players from a fund of up to $1 million outside of the salary cap if the players meet certain criteria.
The NWSL team salary cap in 2026 is $3.7 million after adjustment for revenue sharing.
San Diego also spoke with Macario about joining the team in the summer upon the expiration of her contract at Chelsea. Macario has not featured for Chelsea recently due in part to injuries, and with her contract expiring and the NWSL season underway, a move now made sense, sources said.
San Diego opened the NWSL season on Saturday at home in a 1-0 loss to the Houston Dash. Macario’s deal is worth around $2 million in average annual value.
USWNT forward Trinity Rodman signed a new contract with the Washington Sprit in January worth over $2 million annually inclusive of bonuses, making her the highest paid player globally on an annual basis.
Rodman signed a three-year contract that runs through 2028.
Macario spent part of her childhood in San Diego after moving with her family from Brazil.
ESPN reported in February that returning home and playing in the NWSL for the first time is a driving factor in Macario’s decision. She received offers from other European clubs, including Barcelona, but preferred San Diego for personal reasons.
The Wave train across the parking lot from the fields where Macario played youth soccer. She was 12 years old when her family moved to San Diego in 2011.
Macario became a U.S. citizen in late 2020 and became eligible for the USWNT shortly thereafter. She said at the time that it was a “dream come true” to have the opportunity to represent the United States.
She is expected to be an integral part of the USWNT squad vying for a fifth World Cup title in Brazil next year, having scored 16 goals in 29 appearances for the USWNT, with eight of those coming in 10 games last year.
