U.S. Women’s Soccer forward Catarina Macario has “several NWSL teams” interested in signing her from WSL European powerhouse Chelsea, according to ESPN’s Jeff Kasuf.
Macario’s current contract runs for the remainder of the WSL season until the summer transfer window on July 1, 2026, but she can sign six months before her contract expires.
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Every team in the world should be interested in an attacking player like Macario, but financial constraints such as the salary cap often prevent NWSL teams from making competitive offers for the 26-year-old who is in the prime of his career. Until the introduction of the “High Impact Player” rule.
HIP rules would allow a team to spend up to $1 million on players who meet certain criteria established by the NWSL, which could include independent award honors or appearances in the USWNT. Macario likely falls into that category, and her contract does not count against the NWSL’s salary cap for that season.
Trinity Rodman’s ongoing contract status with the NWSL prompted the push for HIP rules, but was met with public opposition from the NWSLPA. The rule has not yet been formally approved, and it is unclear whether the NWSL can unilaterally implement it without consultation with the NWSLPA, which the NWSLPA’s executive director said is necessary.
The 26-year-old forward has made 9 appearances for Chelsea so far in the 2025-2026 WSL season and is yet to score, but has provided 2 assists. In her final appearance for the U.S. Women’s National Team, she scored the first goal in the 20th minute against Italy.
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Macario did not play his senior season at Stanford in 2020 and joined Olympique Lyonnais in 2021. Macario impressed and eventually joined Chelsea on a free transfer for the 2023 season after suffering an ACL injury in 2022.
If Macario leaves, she will join Mia Fisher as the second American women’s soccer player to leave Chelsea after Emma Hayes left.