Fire new digs to ‘fire’ up fans’ experience

Article posted by Coliseum, May 1^st, 2026

Image: Chicago Fire FC

The Major League Soccer (MLS) team Chicago Fire FC (US) recently announced a multiyear partnership with SeatGeek, the technology platform transforming the live event experience for the fans, the teams and the venues, as the club’s Official Ticketing Partner and Founding Partner of its new downtown soccer stadium opening in 2028.

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‘chicagofirefc.com’ stated that the partnership positions SeatGeek at the center of one of the most anticipated venue openings in MLS history. SeatGeek will serve not just as a ticketing provider but as a strategic partner in helping to drive ticketing across all Fire matches and a broad slate of concerts, entertainment and third-party events at the new stadium.

The club recently broke ground on its privately-funded, 22,000-capacity soccer-specific stadium in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood, a transformational new home set to open in 2028. It will be one of the most gripping and captivating entertainment venues in the United States.

The Chicago Fire Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in Chicago (US). The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a Member of the Eastern Conference.

The 62,500-seat Soldier Field is a multipurpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 the stadium serves as the home of the Major League Soccer (MLS) team Chicago Fire FC.

New York (US)-based SeatGeek was founded in 2009 when three live event fans had the crazy idea that modern technology could improve the live eventgoing experience for everyone – the fans, the teams and the artistes. Today, SeatGeek offers a trusted marketplace for the fans to easily buy and sell tickets to the events they love and provides primary box office technology for some of the most prominent names in sports and entertainment globally.

Informed Dave Baldwin, President, Business Operations, Chicago Fire FC, “We have ambitious goals to deliver a variety of entertainment programming that’s unrivaled in Chicago and spans soccer matches, major concerts and world-class events. We’re excited to partner with SeatGeek to create one of the most holistic partnership platforms across North American sports and entertainment.”

A World-Class Stadium in Chicago’s Newest Neighborhood

Located along the Chicago River at The 78, the Fire’s new stadium will be a centerpiece of a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood and a catalyst for continued economic development and significant job opportunities in the South Loop. The riverfront location will integrate the public plazas, the activated outdoor spaces and connectivity to the surrounding retail and residential development positioning the stadium as both a matchday destination and a year-round city asset.

‘chicagofirefc.com’ further stated that the stadium will seat more than 22,000 fans for the soccer matches and up to 31,000 for the concerts and special events and has been thoughtfully designed to deliver exceptional sightlines and memorable entertainment experiences. Featuring a wide range of seating options – including the most premium suites and club spaces in Major League Soccer (MLS) and across Chicago – the venue will create an unparalleled home atmosphere for the Chicago Fire fans and the eventgoers alike.

The Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams with 27 in the United States and three (3) in Canada and is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (the official governing body of soccer in the United States). The MLS is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. The league is headquartered in New York City (US).

The stadium will also feature flexible, permanent production infrastructure including a venue wide rigging grid, artiste facilities and demountable seating to support a turnkey event experience that allows the Fire to seamlessly host a diverse lineup of concerts and events from some of the world’s biggest artistes and acts.

The Next Era’s Modern Platform

SeatGeek provides the Chicago Fire FC with a modern, unified ticketing platform that improves both the club’s operations and the fan experience. For the club this means a single backend system and a complete data foundation – unlocking smarter pricing strategies, more personalized fan engagement and seamless management across the MLS matches and non-soccer events. For the fans it creates a simple, streamlined experience with one place to buy, manage and transfer tickets.

Through the partnership the fans will be able to browse the available seats, compare options using Deal Score, preview the view from their seat before buying, and buy, sell, or transfer tickets in just a few taps all with the confidence of secure mobile ticketing and seamless entry on matchday.

A Founding Partnership Built to Last

As a Founding Partner of the new stadium SeatGeek will have a prominent presence throughout the venue tying the brand directly to the matchday experience. SeatGeek brings deep experience across the soccer landscape partnering with the multiple MLS, National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL – the highest level of the United States soccer league system) and the United Soccer League (USL – an organizer of various professional and amateur soccer leagues in the United States league system) clubs as well as teams across the Premier League, the highest level of the English football league system.

Remarked Russ D’Souza, Co-Founder and President, SeatGeek, “A soccer-specific stadium in downtown Chicago is going to attract a lot more than just soccer. The Fire are building one of the most compelling entertainment venues in the United States and the ticketing operation has to be built for that from the start. That’s exactly what we designed SeatGeek to do and we’re proud to be in from the ground up.”

The Fire’s Growing Community

Since announcing new stadium plans last summer the club has seen overwhelming support from the fans, the partners and the broader community.

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