The Chicago Fire have made two key changes to the first team squad ahead of Friday’s MLS roster freeze, clearing the way for midfielder André Franco to return in 2026.
Franco, who has been out for over a year due to an ACL tear he suffered against Inter Miami last September, has spent all of 2026 on the injured list. He has finally been removed from that list, reinstating his eligibility to appear in MLS.
The Portuguese midfielder returned to team training this week and was pictured warming up with the first team on Thursday.
In order to open a senior roster slot for Franco, 28-year-old homegrown midfielder Mauricio Pineda was moved from the senior roster to the supplemental roster. The structure of his new contract, signed last fall, allows that change as his cap hit was bought down with allocation money. Pineda fills the supplemental roster slot of Chris Mueller, who was waived following his retirement this summer.
The Fire already have an international slot ready for Franco; the club acquired one two weeks ago ahead of the game against Charlotte FC. It was used in the short term to bring South African-born Brody Williams into the first team squad for the game.
After months of uncertainty, Franco's reintegration with the first team is a welcome sight. The midfielder joined the Fire from FC Porto on an initial loan last August, and won over fans with several top performances in his six games before tearing his ACL. His recovery has not gone to plan, as initial hopes that he could return this summer after the World Cup break are now long forgotten.
Although he is now on the active roster and back in training, that does not mean Franco is ready to play quite yet. The club's medical staff will monitor his status in the coming days and weeks to ensure a safe return to the pitch and avoid risking another injury.
Franco will likely feature in a limited role this season, and expectations should be tempered, given he hasn't played since September 30th of last year. In the 4-3-3/4-2-4 shape the Fire are using now, Franco could fill the box-to-box role recently occupied by Sergio Oregel Jr. and Anton Salétros.
