Chelsea FC star Catarina Macario is reportedly heading home, with multiple outlets linking the USWNT striker to a record-breaking deal with the NWSL's San Diego Wave.
Sportico first reported that San Diego sent Chelsea roughly $300,000 to confirm the hometown hero's transfer ahead of the NWSL deadline on Monday, ensuring that Macario can join the Wave immediately rather than wait for her WSL contract to expire at the end of the UK league's 2025/26 season.
According to sources, the 26-year-old will earn upwards of $8 million over five years — the highest-ever total contract value in women's soccer history.
The overall contract surpasses the previous record deal signed by fellow USWNT star Trinity Rodman, though the Washington Spirit forward's annual cut will be higher than Macario's given the January deal's shorter three-year lifespan.
Macario's homecoming is a direct result of the NWSL's new High Impact Player rule, which allows clubs to pay qualified players up to $1 million above the league's $3.7 million salary cap.
The NWSLPA filed a grievance against the rule in December, but the mechanism remains intact while it undergoes the arbitration process.
Though recent injuries saw Macario's playing time — and, therefore, her offensive production — at Chelsea dwindle, she led the USWNT in scoring in 2025.
With eight goals in 10 games, Macario's 2025 tally is double the national team's second-most prolific scorers, with Lynn Biyendolo, Sam Coffey, and Ally Sentnor netting four goals each last year.
