Report: USWNT and Chelsea forward Catarina Macario has drawn interest from several NWSL teams

According to a report by ESPN’s Jeff Kassouf USWNT forward Catarina Macario has “several NWSL teams” interested in signing her away from the European powerhouse in the WSL, Chelsea.

Macario’s current contract runs through the rest of the WSL season and up to the summer transfer window on July 1, 2026, but she can sign six months prior to its expiration.

Every team in the world should be interested in an attacking player the caliber of Macario, but monetary restrictions like the salary cap would normally prevent an NWSL team from making a competitive offer for the 26-year-old in the prime of her career. That was until the introduction of the “High Impact Player” rule.

The HIP rule would allow a team to spend up to $1 million dollars on players who meet specific criteria established by the NWSL which could include independent awards honors or appearances with the USWNT. Macario would likely fall in that category and her contract would not count against the NWSL salary cap for that season.

Trinity Rodman’s ongoing contract situation with the NWSL pushed the HIP rule forward, but has been opposed publicly by the NWSLPA. The rule has not officially been ratified and it unclear whether the NWSL is allowed to unilaterally implement it without consultation with the NWSLPA which its executive director says is necessary.

The 26-year-old forward has not scored a goal, but has recorded two assists across nine appearances for Chelsea thus far in the 2025-2026 WSL season. In her last appearance with the USWNT she scored the opening goal against Italy in minute 20.

Macario did not play her 2020 senior season at Stanford and joined Olympique Lyonnais in 2021. Macario impressed with and eventually joined Chelsea for the 2023 season on a free transfer following an ACL injury in 2022.

Should Macario leave she would join Mia Fishel as the second USWNT player to leave Chelsea since the departure of Emma Hayes.