United States forward Cat Macario has signed with San Diego Wave FC through the 2030 NWSL season for what sources confirm is the biggest total contract value in women's soccer history. The deal is worth roughly $8 million total, with a $300,000 transfer fee from Chelsea where her contract was set to expire this summer.

The Wave will use NWSL's new high impact player rule to pay Macario from a fund of up to $1 million outside the salary cap. Macario has personal ties to San Diego, having moved there with her family from Brazil in 2011 and trained near the fields where she played youth soccer.

Macario became a US citizen in 2020 and has scored 16 goals in 29 national team appearances. She's expected to be integral to the US squad vying for a fifth World Cup title in Brazil next year, with her return to the NWSL after time in Europe making her a key player for both club and country.