The San Diego Wave FC have officially signed United States national team forward Catarina Macario from Chelsea in a deal worth roughly $8 million deal that, according to ESPN sources, is believed to be the biggest total contract value in the history of women’s soccer.

“I spent five years in Europe, and I had a great time, but there’s no place like home,” said Macario, who has played in Europe since 2021.

Macario was signed through the 2030 season, the NWSL club announced Friday and Wave sporting director and general manager Camille Ashton called the signing “monumental.”

To sign Macario, the Wave used the High Impact Player rule, which allows teams to exceed the salary cap for players that meet certain criteria. Sources told ESPN the fee for the transfer was around the $300,000 mark and her Chelsea contract was set to run out this summer. The transfer was completed before the NWSL’s March 16 transfer deadline.

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“This is a monumental signing, one that reflects not only our ambition on the field, but the unwavering commitment of our ownership group to invest in excellence and build a championship-caliber organization,” Ashton said on Friday.

Macario, 26, was born in Brazil but moved to San Diego when she was 12 and played for the San Diego Surf youth club. She went on to Stanford, where she won two national championships and was twice awarded the MAC Hermann Trophy as the nation’s best soccer player.

“I have had teammates play for the Wave,” Macario said. “Obviously, I’ve always wished that there would be a professional soccer club here in San Diego, at least when I was growing up and playing here for [youth club] San Diego Surf. So when the opportunity came about, it just made sense. It felt like it was the right time.”

It remains unknown when Macario will make her debut. Due to injury issues, Macario last played a match at club level in December and didn’t specify when she could return to the field.

“Unfortunately, injuries are part of the game,” said the forward. “But I think when you’re home, it almost just makes everything better… having played in Chelsea, maybe the skies were a little bit too grey for me. So I think with the sunshine, I think it will help heal me a little bit quicker, a little bit more.”

“I’m confident that San Diego Wave’s medical team will be able to help me, and that I think the sun as well, and just being close to family and friends, I think it helps.”

Macario decided to forgo her senior season at Stanford and turn pro, signing with OL Lyonnes. She played two seasons for the French club before she was signed by Chelsea. Over the course of her professional career, she’s scored 44 goals in 105 appearances.

Macario, who became a U.S. citizen in 2020, has 16 goals in 29 appearances with the national team. She had eight goals in 10 matches for the United States last year.

“Just as meaningful is what this moment represents beyond the game, San Diego is home to Cat,” Ashton said. “There’s something incredibly special about her returning to play in front and for this community, we know how much the city means to her, and we’re proud that she’ll now represent it on this stage.”

The Wave signed Macario through a new mechanism known as the “high impact player” rule. Set in motion by the NWSL’s board of governors last December, the rule (which gives teams the ability to pay certain criteria-meeting stars from a fund of up to $1 million outside of the salary cap) has been challenged by the NWSL Players Association.

Nonetheless, Ashton praised the rule that provided a path to bring in Macario.

Cat Macario has 16 goals in 29 appearances with the USWNT. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

“There’s a lot of conversations around this rule and criteria and mechanisms and what this looks like,” Ashton said. “I think ultimately, we were in a position at the club where we have a choice to maximize this rule.

“It came at an incredibly good time for us, because before this rule was in place, quite honestly, it wasn’t an option realistically to bring Cat home. When this all kind of came into fruition, it changed everything, and if not for it, Cat wouldn’t be sitting here right now, most likely.”

“It’s a step in the right direction … ultimately, as all things do, it will evolve, I’m sure, over time.”

The Wave currently have a 2W-0D-1L record in the start to the 2026 season. During halftime of Saturday’s home game vs. Chicago Stars, Macario will be introduced to the local crowd at Snapdragon Stadium.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.