Fire venue to ‘fire’ up Chicago soccer scene

Image: MLS and Chicago Fire

The Major League Soccer (MLS) team – the Chicago Fire FC (Chicago, US) – have unveiled plans for a new privately-funded, soccer-specific stadium they expect to open in Spring 2028 continuing Chairman and Owner Joe Mansueto’s transformation of the club.

‘MLS’ stated that the venue would seat approximately 22,000 fans and will be located along the Chicago River just South of Roosevelt Road acting as the anchor of the City’s future ‘The 78’ neighborhood.

New York (US)-based 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.

The Chicago Fire Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in Chicago (US). The club competes in the Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The Fire plays their home games at the Soldier Field which they share with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL).

The 62,500-capacity Soldier Field is a multipurpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003 the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) since 1971 as well as the Chicago Fire FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) from 1998 to 2006 and since 2020.

‘MLS’ further stated that the project would also include an entertainment district with the mixed-use development eventually including restaurants, retail, office space, and residential buildings along with green space and an extension of the Chicago Riverwalk (a multiuse public open space).

Maintained Mansueto, “A world-class City deserves a world-class football club – with a world-class home to match. We’re building one at ‘The 78’. Our privately-funded stadium is purpose-built for soccer to give our players an edge and our fans an incredible matchday experience. This development will be transformative for both the Chicago Fire FC and the City of Chicago. Our new stadium will be the anchor of this new neighborhood which will build the community, create thousands of jobs and have a significant positive economic impact.”

‘The 78’ is a planned, mixed-use neighborhood being developed in Chicago, specifically in the South Loop along the Chicago River. It’s a large-scale project aiming to transform a former brownfield site into a vibrant community with residences, commercial spaces and recreational areas. The name ‘The 78’ refers to the fact that it will be Chicago’s 78^th neighborhood adding to the City’s existing 77 community areas.
 

Reshaping the Future

Construction at ‘The 78’ is anticipated to begin by the end of 2025. The estimated cost of the stadium is an expected $650 million and it will feature a natural grass surface.

The stadium’s location is easily accessible from public transportation and will ultimately be part of a 62-acre site.

Observed Don Garber, MLS Commissioner, “Joe Mansueto isn’t just building a soccer stadium – he’s reshaping the future of soccer in Chicago. This is one of the most ambitious stadium projects in the Major League Soccer (MLS) history and a powerful reflection of Joe’s extraordinary commitment to the Fire, the fans and the City. I toured the site recently and there’s no doubt that this will be a transformative moment for the club and a landmark for Chicago sports.”
 

Historic Club

A Chicago-area native Mansueto became a Partial Owner of the Fire in 2018 and a Full Owner in 2019.

He has since invested heavily in the club ranging from Designated Player signings and appointing Head Coach/Director of Football Gregg Berhalter to infrastructure like the Endeavor Health Performance Center and ‘The 78’ stadium project.

The Fire moved back to the Soldier Field in 2020 occupying the downtown venue alongside the National Football League (NFL) team Chicago Bears. Before that the club played at the SeatGeek Stadium in nearby Bridgeview.

Often referred to as a ‘sleeping giant’ the Fire played their first season in 1998 – two years after the MLS launched. They won an MLS Cup-US Open Cup (a single-elimination soccer tournament in the United States that is open to all the teams affiliated with the U.S. Soccer including the Major League Soccer (MLS) teams) double that year and have won an additional three U.S. Open Cup (USOC) titles as well as the 2003 Supporters’ Shield.

The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of the Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Playoffs. The game is held in November or December and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference Final. The MLS Cup winner is awarded the title of league champion.

The Supporters’ Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer (MLS) team with the best regular season record as determined by the MLS points system. The Supporters’ Shield has been annually awarded at the MLS Supporters’ Summit since 1999 and has been recognized as a major trophy by the league.

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