San Diego Wave Signs Macario to $8M Deal Through 2030

The San Diego Wave announced Friday the acquisition of U.S. women's national team forward Catarina Macario from English club Chelsea, signing the 26-year-old through the 2030 season in a deal valued at $8 million, one of the largest total contracts in National Women's Soccer League history.

The move utilizes the NWSL's new High Impact Player rule, which permits teams to exceed the salary cap for qualifying players. Macario, whose contract with Chelsea was set to expire this summer, joins the Wave immediately for a reported transfer fee of about $300,000. However, a recent foot injury may delay her availability for matches.

Born in Brazil, Macario relocated to San Diego with her family at age 12 and developed her skills with the local San Diego Surf youth club. She later starred at Stanford University, where she helped secure two NCAA national championships and earned back-to-back MAC Hermann Trophies as the nation's top player. Opting to forgo her senior year, she turned professional in 2017 with French club Lyon, contributing to their 2022 UEFA Women's Champions League title with a goal in the final against Barcelona. Macario transferred to Chelsea in 2023 but faced setbacks,...