Catarina Macario joins San Diego Wave from Chelsea, on record contract worth just under $8 million

The USWNT striker cost $300,000 in transfer fees for the California NWSL side

It was a two-month reign for Trinity Rodman as the NWSL's highest-paid player. The record now belongs to U.S. women's national team forward Catarina Macario, who joins San Diego Wave FC from Chelsea FC following a $300,000 transfer fee, sources confirmed to CBS Sports. She signed a multi-year deal through 2030, and sources familiar with the negotiations confirmed the contract is worth just under $8 million.

The club officially announced the deal on Friday, after months of rumors and reporting linking the player and team, and, in a team release, noted Macario signed a contract under the league's new High Impact Player rule. Macario moved to San Diego with her family from Brazil when she was 12. She played youth soccer with San Diego Surf and later attended Stanford University.

After winning two NCAA Championships in 2017 and 2019, and earning two MAC Hermann trophies in 2018 and 2019, she opted out of her senior year at Stanford to turn pro in 2021. With the NWSL Draft system still in place, players who turned pro and were interested in NWSL had to declare for the draft with no say in where their careers would take them.

She ultimately opted to play in Europe with Olympique Lyonnais (OL Lyonnes) and later Chelsea FC. The hometown player now returns to where it all started for her.

"I'm really excited to join San Diego Wave FC and begin this next chapter of my career at home in San Diego," Macario said in a statement.

"This city has played such an important role in my journey, and the opportunity to come back and represent it means a lot to me. From my first conversations with the club, I felt the ambition and the vision for what we can accomplish together, including bringing trophies to this city. I'm grateful for the belief they've shown in me, and I can't wait to get started and give everything for this team and my community."

Macario, now 26 years old, joins Wave FC after developing a championship-winning pedigree across the globe. With 44 goals scored across 105 appearances for OL and Chelsea, and lifted nine trophies, including the UEFA Women's Champions League title, Première Ligue championships, Coupe de France, and Trophée des Championnes, while in France. While in London with Chelsea, she won two Women's Super League titles, the Women's League Cup, and the FA Women's Cup.

"We're thrilled to welcome Cat home to San Diego," said Wave FC sporting director and general manager Camille Ashton. 

"Cat is a world-class player who has consistently performed at the highest levels of the game. She is an intelligent, technical, and creative attacker with exceptional vision and composure in the final third. Her ability to unlock defenses and influence matches in multiple ways will further strengthen an already strong foundation as we continue building toward championship success. This signing reflects the ambition of our club, and having a player of her caliber return to her hometown and represent San Diego makes this signing even more meaningful for our organization," Ashton said.

Macario is currently managing a heel injury following a breakout 2025 campaign with the U.S. women's national team, during which she scored eight goals in 10 games and was a finalist for the Female Player of the Year. She's scored 16 goals over 29 appearances for the USWNT and was part of the bronze medal-winning team during the 2020 Tokyo Games.

She has recently been unavailable for selection at the international level and during her final weeks with Chelsea, but is now looking ahead to the homecoming chapter in her career.

"I spent five years in Europe. I won everything that there was to win playing in both France and England. I wanted to just enjoy playing soccer at home. I wanted to join this exciting new team and this league as well. I think it's growing so much," Macario said.

"I've always wanted to play in the NWSL, but unfortunately, it was not the right time before. It was not necessarily possible before. And so, yeah, I think I'm just at a stage in my life in which I want to do what makes me happiest, and that's being here in San Diego."