It's Robert Lewandowski together again with Thomas Müller. And it's on a Tuesday.
This has been, if anything, an on again, off again reunion: The Fire were set to take on Vancouver Whitecaps back in July (we previewed it then), in one of four showcase matches that MLS had, for reasons that only MLS knows, scheduled between the World Cup semis and final, only to see it postponed
The game had always been billed as a marquee matchup from the league, but it's stunning how the headliners have shifted over the course of 2026
The game had originally been billed as the father-son reunion of Fire Head Coach Gregg Berhalter and son Seb. It turns out, even if the game still happened in July, that wasn't to have been: The younger Berhalter wasn't in the matchday squad ahead of a move to Middlesbrough.
Months ahead of the game's scheduled start, the Fire also tried to bring a broader appeal game by announcing a concert from DJ duo Two Friends postmatch.
In the days leading up to the game, the matchup was greatly intensified when the Fire (hastily) unveiled Robert Lewandowski, making this match the planned debut of the Polish superstar with Chicago. That would have set up a reunion between the Fire's new striker and Vancouver's Thomas Müller, a friend from their mutual years spent playing for Bayern Munich.
When Canadian wildfires postponed the game, it was rescheduled for today, at the tail end of the international break, without a postgame concert from Two Friends. Lewandowski's call up to the Polish national team, it didn't look like it'd feature the Fire's biggest star – that is, until a second yellow card of the window ruled him out for Poland's final game of the window.
With Lewandowski back in Chicago, he will once again be set to take face his former teammate. You may not always get the Two Friends you want, but sometimes, you get the two friends you deserve.
Vancouver Whitecaps
Much like the short-handed Fire, Vancouver are without a number of first-team players because of the international break: Defender Ralph Priso will facing off against Chris Brady as Canada faces the U.S. Men's National Team, while left-back Mihail Gherasimencov will be with Moldova's squad.
Both are more often used as rotation pieces by the Whitecaps, however, and the only normal starters to be out on international duty for the Caps are midfielder Andrés Cubas and right-back Édier Ocampo.
Chicago Fire
The Fire, meanwhile, will be without at least five players, with Lewandowski as the only certain returnee from international duty.
Puso Dithejane, fresh off his first goal for Bafana Bafana, is back in Chicago, having landed Monday afternoon.
Will we see his
Still, that leaves Noah Allen, Chris Brady, Robin Lod, Anzor Mekhabishvili and Robert Turdean out for the Fire, with Anton Salétros still listed as questionable as he recovers from an injury that's kept him out since he left the field for the Fire in the dying minutes of their game against Inter Miami nearly a month ago.
That doesn't mean that the team will necessarily be without reinforcements: Andres Hanche-Olsen has joined the Fire after the birth of his child and is eligible to play, as confirmed by Berhalter in media availability Monday.
Despite the absences, Berhalter said, the Fire view this as a "a great opportunity. You know, we feel confident, especially after the last win. The guys are feeling good, training well and now it's time to go out and compete."
