2026 Schedule
- First game: Feb. 21 - 8:30 pm ET at Houston Dynamo FC
- Home opener: Feb. 28 - 2:30 pm ET vs. CF Montréal
- Full schedule
- Watch on Apple TV
Team Snapshot
Fresh off their first Audi MLS Cup Playoffs trip since 2017, the Chicago Fire have serious momentum under head coach/director of football Gregg Berhalter.
They've laid a strong foundation with the likes of Hugo Cuypers, Philip Zinckernagel, and Jonathan Bamba, and made several targeted signings to pursue consistency.Â
Key Signings
- Puso Dithejane: A rising South African winger, Dithejane inked a U22 Initiative deal after impressing with TS Galaxy in his home country.
- Robin Lod: The 2024 MLS All-Star spent the past seven seasons with Minnesota United FC. Lod is their leading scorer with 41g/28a in 185 appearances.Â
- Mbekezeli Mbokazi: The South African international center back was acquired from Orlando Pirates in his home country. The 2026 FIFA World Cup hopeful is on a U22 Initiative deal.
- Anton Salétros: The Swedish international midfielder arrives from Swedish top-flight side AIK, where he tallied 19g/23a in 226 matches.
Key Departures
- Kellyn Acosta: The former USMNT midfielder and Chicago agreed to a mutual contract termination. He’s now with Pogoń Szczecin in Poland’s Ekstraklasa.
- Tom Barlow: The veteran, industrious forward signed with FC Cincinnati in free agency.
- Brian Gutiérrez: The homegrown midfielder was transferred to LIGA MX giants Chivas de Guadalajara. He departed with 21g/25a in 164 games.
- Rominigue Kouamé: The Ivorian midfielder's loan from Cádiz CF expired.
Projected Starting XI
Predictions
Apple TV talent predict the 2026 regular season for Chicago Fire FC.
- Andrés Agulla: 10th in Eastern Conference
- Marcelo Balboa: 4th in Eastern Conference
- Max Bretos: 4th in Eastern Conference
- Steve Cangialosi: 7th in Eastern Conference
- Daniel Chapela: 10th in Eastern Conference
- Miguel Gallardo: 5th in Eastern Conference
- Michele Giannone: 4th in Eastern Conference
- Tony Husband: 2nd in Eastern Conference
- Sacha Kljestan: 6th in Eastern Conference
- Kaylyn Kyle: 10th in Eastern Conference
- Lori Lindsey: 5th in Eastern Conference
- Dax McCarty: 3rd in Eastern Conference
- Sammy Sadovnik: 6th in Eastern Conference
- Bruno Vain: 5th in Eastern Conference
- Bradley Wright-Phillips: 9th in Eastern Conference
New Kit
BUY NOW: Chicago Fire FC’s Forever Red Jersey
Odds & Ends
- Head coach: Gregg Berhalter
- Stadium: Soldier Field
- Last year: 15W-11L-8D, 53 points, 8th in Eastern Conference
- Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs: Eastern Conference Round One Best-of-3 Series
