The San Diego Wave are reportedly acquiring Torrey Pines High School graduate Catarina Macario on a transfer from Chelsea, giving the team another much-needed superstar following the retirement of franchise icon Alex Morgan.
The Wave will pay Chelsea $300,000 for Macario’s rights, according to a report from Sportico. Sportico also reported the Wave and Macario have agreed to a five-year deal worth roughly $8 million — the largest contract in National Women’s Soccer League history. The Wave have no immediate plans to announce any deal, a source said Tuesday.
ESPN reported last month that San Diego was considered the favorite to acquire Macario, a forward/midfielder who, ESPN reported, wanted to return closer to home.
A native of Brazil, Macario moved to San Diego at age 12 to pursue her goal of playing professional soccer. She set the San Diego Surf club team’s scoring record and played at Torrey Pines High School before embarking on a national championship-winning career at Stanford University. Macario left the Cardinal following her junior season to sign with Lyon in France’s Première Ligue. Chelsea acquired Macario in 2023.
Macario, 26, has made her biggest impact in international play. In 29 career appearances for the United States Women’s National Team, Macario has scored 16 goals and logged five assists.
In San Diego, Macario would join a young club that boasts three Brazilian standouts at forward: Dudinha, Ludmila and Gabi Portilho. The club’s top player entering the season, Kenza Dali, is a midfielder who spent the early parts of her career in Lyon, though she and Macario never played together.
San Diego is 0-1 after losing Saturday’s season opener to the Houston Dash. The team travels to the Utah Royals on Sunday.
Jeppe Tverskov #6 of San Diego FC reacts as referee Walter Lopez issues a yellow card during their first half against Toluca at Snapdragon Stadium on March 11, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin/Getty Images)
SDFC heads to Toluca for Champions Cup
San Diego FC has every reason to play it safe during Wednesday’s second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16.
SDFC will be playing Liga MX’s Toluca at Estadio Nemesio Diez, which sits at a lung-searing 8,750 feet above sea level. The azul and chrome will be without forward Marcus Ingvartsen and defender Manu Duah, both of whom received red cards when the teams met last week at Snapdragon Stadium.
And all SDFC needs to do is win or tie to advance after taking the opener, 3-2.
But Mikey Varas and his club rarely play conservatively. Smart? Yes. Safe? Hardly ever.
“We’re always talking about having a no-regrets mentality,” Varas told reporters Tuesday from Toluca, located 40 miles southwest of Mexico City. “In order to do that, you have to go for the game. You always have to go for the game.”
SDFC flew to Mexico from the Dallas Metroplex, where the club remained after settling for a 3-3 tie with FC Dallas on Saturday in nearby Frisco.
Varas’ lineup that night hinted that SDFC was prioritizing Wednesday’s Champions Cup over the MLS regular season.
Star Anders Dreyer came off the bench for the first time in his SDFC career, subbing in for David Vazquez in the 58th minute. Regulars Amahl Pellegrino and Chris McVey and captain Jeppe Tverskov also began the game on the bench before entering during various points in the second half; forward Lewis Morgan, arguably the team’s biggest offseason acquisition, didn’t play at all.
Varas offered few hints about Wednesday’s starters — “We’re not going to discuss the lineup the day before the game,” he said — but added that the team is “ready to go” as it faces yet another Mexican club. The team eliminated Mexico City’s Pumas UNAM in the Champions Cup’s first round.
“These are the moments that we live for,” Varas said of Wednesday’s game, “so we’re really excited for it.”