A Statement Start: Inside San Diego Wave’s Early Success

San Diego Wave FC is off to a record breaking, statement start to the 2026 season.

Fueled by a commitment to building top-tier talent, the Wave made headlines with the signing of Catarina Macario in an $8 million deal in March, one of the most valuable contracts in NWSL history. The world class forward arrived from Chelsea FC and is set to remain in San Diego through 2030 under the league’s High Impact Player Rule.

“This signing reflects our commitment to continuing to invest in this team, in this community and the future of women’s soccer,” said San Diego Wave FC Controlling Owner Lauren Leichtman, “We are building a Club that San Diego can be proud of, and Catarina represents the level of excellence and leadership we want associated with San Diego Wave FC.”

Macario has competed at the highest level of soccer in the world, notably as an elite forward for the US Women’s National Team. Representing the USWNT 29 times (and scoring in 16 of those appearances), Macario has made a name for herself as one of the most dangerous attackers in the game, and has been a highly coveted player since her professional debut in 2021, winning nine trophies, scoring 44 goals, and making 105 appearances across all competitions.

Macario has also asserted her dominance across Europe, having contributed significantly to OL Lyonnes success in the UEFA Women’s Champions League title (2021-2022), two Première Ligue championships (2021–22, 2022–23), the Coupe de France (2022–23), and the Trophée des Championnes (2022–23).

“This signing reflects the ambition of our Club,” said Sporting Director and general Manager Camille Ashton. “Having a player of her caliber return to her hometown and represent San Diego makes this signing even more meaningful for our organization.”

After moving to San Diego from Brazil at age twelve, Catarina Macario began her early soccer career with San Diego Surf, played college soccer at Stanford as one of the nation’s top players, and added two NCAA Championships and two MAC Hermann Trophies to her name before going pro. For Macario, coming back home to California is both exciting and deeply personal.

“I’m really excited to join San Diego Wave FC,” said Macario. “This city has played such an important role in my journey, and the opportunity to come back and represent it means a lot to me.”

Macario joins the Wave during a season of serious momentum. Having won four straight games, San Diego has set a new club record for the best season start in club history.

The string of victories began with a 2-1 away triumph over the Utah Royals. Dudinha opened the scoring in the 18th minute after capitalizing on a defensive mistake, setting the tone early. Utah responded in the second half, equalizing in the 67th minute off a deflected shot. Late in the 87th minute, in just her second professional appearance, Lia Godfrey delivered the game winner. Godfrey’s goal marked both her first career score and the league’s first rookie game winner of the season. The match was also a milestone debut for Wave goalkeeper Leah Freeman.

San Diego Wave kept it rolling with a 3-1 home win against the Portland Thorns. Ripping into the back of the net in just the first two minutes, Dudinha set the tone early with the fastest Wave goal of the season. Portland answered minutes later to even the match. San Diego quickly regained control in the first half, with Lia Godfrey finishing off a composed buildup to restore the lead. The Wave continued to apply pressure throughout the match, creating multiple scoring chances. Late in the game, Melanie Barcenas sealed the victory with a rebound finish, marking her first goal of the season.

A shut out was brewing for the Wave, as they swept the Chicago Stars with a 2-0 win at home. After a scoreless first half, the Wave broke through in the 56th minute with a  finish from Lia Godfrey, marking her third goal in three games. San Diego continued to control the match, dominating possession and creating consistent pressure in the attacking third. Melanie Barcenas sealed the victory in the 72nd minute with a standout individual effort, notching her second goal in two games. The performance was capped off by goalkeeper Leah Freeman’s first career shutout to secure the Wave’s third victory in a row.

Claiming their fourth win in a row, the Wave prevailed over Boston Legacy, 1-0. After a scoreless first half, the breakthrough came in the 63rd minute when Ludmila finished a well-timed through ball from Kimmi Ascanio for her first goal of the season. San Diego’s defense held Boston without a single shot on target to defend the lead. Goalkeeper Leah Freeman recorded her second straight shutout, anchoring a backline that controlled the match throughout. As the Wave’s first match up against the Boston Legacy, the win was decisive.

Helping to fuel those four wins were four standout players recently named the NWSL Best XI of March: Dudinha, Kennedy Wesley, Kenza Dali, and Lia Godfrey. The honor, presented by Amazon, highlights the top talent across all eleven positions by selecting one NWSL player with the strongest individual performance for each position to make up a team of eleven. San Diego Wave’s four players marked the most players selected out of any NWSL team for the month.

Claiming two of the seven goals scored by the Wave in March (and assisting three of them), Dudinha played a core part of San Diego’s attack. Scoring in back-to-back matches, recording two assists against Chicago, and finishing the month leading the league in assists, Dudinha’s tenacity as a high impact player is evident.

Anchoring the backline for the Wave, Kennedy Wesley played every minute during the month of March. With an 89% passing accuracy, Wesley has consistently made game-saving plays, most notably defending the Wave’s clean sheet against the Chicago Stars.

Dominating in the midfield, San Diego Wave’s Kenza Dali has appeared in all four matches and logged 360 minutes of playing time. With 86% passing accuracy, Dali has been a dominant presence centrally, recording an assist while being a core part of the Wave’s four game success streak.

Lia Godfrey made an immediate impact in just her first month as a pro by scoring in three straight matches, quickly establishing herself as a key contributor for the Wave. Her standout moment came with a late game winner in the 87th minute against the Utah Royals. Godfrey’s standout play and relentless drive also earned her NWSL Rookie of the Month honors (March, presented by Ally).

From the jump, Godfrey has thrived under pressure, stepping up when the stakes are high. In a pre-season exclusive interview Godfrey remarked, “Attacking wise, we create a lot of chances. We like to attract pressure and play out of that pressure and I think that when we capitalize and connect on those passes we can be really dangerous.”

Godfrey’s versatility has also been evident in her success, “The type of player that I am, I’m gonna work hard offensively and defensively. It’s important that everyone contributes to our press and our back press and everything we do defensively, and I just try to play a lot bigger than my size,” said Godfrey during the post-game press conference after the victory over the Thorns.

San Diego Wave kept March’s success rolling into April with a roster built on global talent, showcased by eleven Wave players earning international call ups during FIFA’s April international window. The players included Ludmila, Dudinha, and Gabi Portilho (Brazil); Luisa Agudelo and Daniela Arias (Colombia); Perle Morroni,  Laurina Fazer, and Kenza Dali (France);  Mimi Van Zanten (Jamaica); Kyra Carusa (Republic of Ireland); and Hanna Lundkvist (Sweden).

Brazil claimed the FIFA Series 2026 Championship. 

San Diego’s roster reflects both depth and global quality, contributing to an early season run that has set the tone for what’s shaping up to be a defining year. With a winning streak, breakout performances, and a roster built for both depth and star power, the Wave have quickly positioned themselves among the league’s top teams.

Up Next, the Wave will travel to play Denver Summit FC this Saturday April 25 at 5:45 p.m. PST. The match takes place at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and can be watched remotely on ION.