Catarina Macario and San Diego Wave FC pen biggest deal in women’s soccer history
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San Diego Wave Football Club made history with its recent signing of Catarina Macario, as it’s the most lucrative in the history of women’s soccer.
SAN DIEGO – Macario, who has been with Chelsea since 2023, was linked to San Diego as a potential landing spot with the NWSL primary transfer portal closing soon.
The contract is reportedly worth roughly $8 million through the 2030 season, according to ESPN. Between the transfer window closing on March 24, her Chelsea contract expiring in the summer, and limited play time with injuries, a move was anticipated.
She will join the team immediately, following a $300,000 transfer fee to her former club. It will be a homecoming tour for her as well because the Brazilian moved to San Diego at 12 years old. Macario was a Torrey Pines Falcon and a San Diego Surf Soccer Club star. Her footsteps to stardom at San Diego Surf SC were followed by Melanie Barcenas, whom she now calls a teammate.
To pay for Macario, the San Diego Wave is utilizing the league’s new ‘High Impact Player Rule,’ which allows teams to pay up to $1 million out of the salary cap for players that meet high-performing criteria. This acquisition trends with the NWSL’s push to attract top talent and grow the game in the USA.
Breaking: United States forward Catarina Macario has joined the San Diego Wave FC on what is believed to be the biggest total contract value in women’s soccer history, sources confirmed to Jeff Kassouf.
Macario has signed with the Wave through the 2030 NWSL season for a total… pic.twitter.com/KtQ6tOAi8T
— ESPN (@espn) March 16, 2026
The Wave is 0-1 on the season, losing to the Houston Dash in their season opener at Snapdragon Stadium. The team’s chemistry and confidence in its attack were a point of emphasis from its players and coach after the loss.
San Diego’s new addition
Macario is a forward/midfielder who brings international experience from Lyon, Chelsea, and the US Women’s National Team. She earned full citizenship in 2020 after playing for US youth teams for several years.
Macario has 16 goals in 29 appearances for the US Women’s National Team. She has dealt with knee injuries, including an ACL tear, during her time with Lyon. Despite injuries, Macario has remained highly sought after by European clubs.
Macario is the fourth Brazilian now on the Wave FC roster, along with Gabi Portilho, Ludmila, and Dudinha. San Diego Wave FC has yet to officially announce the signing.
Nate Tubbs is a recent graduate of Journalism at San Diego State University. In his time at SDSU, he wrote and photographed several different sports for Aztec Link, the school’s NIL collective. He also co-hosted a weekly podcast featuring Aztec athletes, sharing their stories and goals for the season. Tubbs is passionate about photography, storytelling, and most of all, San Diego sports.