On Monday, it was announced that soccer player Catarina Macario will leave Chelsea FC Women for the San Diego Wave. The transfer deal is valued at around $8 million for five years, marking it as one of the largest in women’s soccer history.
Since Macario’s contract with Chelsea lasts until the summer, her new club will likely pay a transfer fee of about $300,000 to finalize the move before then. This transfer will also utilize the new NWSL “High Impact Player” rule, allowing teams to exceed the salary cap for key signings.
This transfer is timely for the NWSL, as the league has recently seen many players move abroad. Macario’s return to the United States is a positive development. With stars like Sam Coffey and Alyssa Thompson currently in the Women’s Super League, her decision to come back is a boost for the league. Moreover, this move is crucial for San Diego, as they aim to revamp their team after Naomi Girma’s departure and Alex Morgan’s retirement.
Macario, originally from Brazil, grew up in San Diego. She played for the Stanford Cardinal and was part of the team that won the NCAA Championship in 2019. Additionally, she won the MAC Hermann Trophy twice for being the top player in college soccer.
After leaving Stanford early to pursue a professional career, Macario played for French club Olympique Lyonnais Féminin from 2021 to 2023. With Lyon, she clinched the UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2022. She joined Chelsea in 2023, but has faced significant injuries that limited her contributions to the team.
On the international level, Macario has made a strong impact, scoring 16 goals in 29 appearances for the U.S. women’s national team. An ACL injury in 2022 kept her from participating in the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics, but she returned to form in 2025.
As a versatile player who can perform as a forward or an attacking midfielder, Macario is expected to make a quick impact for the Wave and is set to join the team immediately.