San Diego Wave FC placed forward Catarina Macario on the season-ending injury list on Monday, closing out a first year with the club that never actually got started. Macario signed one of the biggest contracts in NWSL history earlier this year, reportedly among the first to use the league's new high-impact player mechanism, with a deal valued at nearly $8 million through 2030. Despite that, she never made her club debut in 2026.
San Diego currently sit fourth in the league table with 42 points, still in the mix for both the NWSL Shield and a playoff spot, even without their marquee signing on the field all season.
A different injury than first reported
Macario arrived in San Diego on a $300,000 transfer from Chelsea FC while rehabbing a heel injury, with the club saying at the time it would work on her timeline back to fitness. That heel issue, however, wasn't what ultimately ended her season.
In a statement provided to CBS Sports, the club explained: "Catarina was initially sidelined with a heel injury, which is why she was listed that way on the injury report. She later underwent a minor procedure to address an ongoing knee issue, which is ultimately what will keep her out for the remainder of the season ... Beyond this, we won't have any further comment at this time."
Macario addressed her situation directly on Instagram. "A few months ago, I underwent a minor procedure to properly address an ongoing issue with my knee. I worked incredibly hard with the hope of making it back this season, but ultimately doing this the right way meant keeping the bigger picture in mind," she wrote.
She didn't shy away from how frustrating the setback has been. "To be completely honest, it sucks to find myself in this position again. There's no way around how difficult it is to go through another rehab and spend more time away from the game I love. I miss football, I miss competing, and after coming home to San Diego, I wanted nothing more than to be out there with my teammates, representing this club and this city," she said.
Still, Macario framed the recovery as forward-looking rather than a reset. "So I'm not looking at this as starting over. I'm looking at it as building a stronger foundation, on and off the field. I'm working hard every day; I'm excited about where I'm heading, and I can't wait to show you what comes next. Thank you to my teammates, the staff who have been with me every day throughout this process, and everyone who has continued to show me so much love and support."
Tough timing with the World Cup picture ahead
The procedure itself is described as minor, but the recovery timeline rules Macario out of the U.S. women's national team's October friendlies against Spain. Her absence comes right after a standout 2025 for the USWNT, in which she led the team with eight goals and two assists across 10 appearances and was named a finalist for U.S. Soccer's 2025 Female Player of the Year.
There's no current timeline for her return. Looking further ahead, the national team will play World Cup qualifiers in late November when the Concacaf W Championship begins, opening with a quarterfinal against El Salvador. Advancing would put the U.S. on course for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, while the tournament's top three finishers also earn spots at the 2028 LA Summer Olympics.
San Diego's season without her
Macario's arrival was billed as a statement signing for a club that has seen plenty of turnover — Alex Morgan retired in 2024, Naomi Girma and Jaedyn Shaw departed in 2025, and goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan was traded to North Carolina ahead of this season. Even without Macario ever taking the field, San Diego have managed to stay among the league's top contenders.
Brazilian international Dudinha had been putting together an MVP-caliber campaign before tearing her ACL in June. Between her absence and Macario's, the Wave's roster has had to carry the load to keep the club in playoff and Shield contention.
There's still no official timeline for Macario's return, and it likely won't come before the 2027 NWSL season. San Diego are next in action against Kansas City Current on Friday.
