After a wait of 155 days, the Chicago Fire are finally back home, playing in the city limits, hosting CF Montréal in their home opener at Soldier Field. The match is an opportunity to show concrete progress in year two under Fire Head Coach Gregg Berhalter. Despite making the second-biggest point jump in the league last year, the team underperformed in front of home crowds, ending with just six wins in 17 home games.
Comparisons abound between the Fire’s upcoming home opener and 2025: Last year, the opponent was D.C. United, a team that few expected much of through the course of the year. The Fire looked to be cruising to a comfortable win before a late goal made the team settle for a single point. This year (and last) CF Montréal is in a similar position, with by far the smallest roster spend on the league and expectations sized to match.
The Fire hosted les Bleus in their second home game last season. Coming back with all nine points possible from a three-game road swing, the hope – if not quite the assumption – was that the team would get the home win that they narrowly lost hold of in their first home game.
It was not to be, with the team again going up ahead before conceding in a game that ended in a 1-1 draw. That began a streak that saw Fire fans waiting until May 10th before they saw the Men In Red win at home, a storyline that stuck with the team throughout the season, although they finished just above 0.500 at Soldier Field and SeatGeek through the course of the regular season.
If the Fire were going to change that narrative in 2026, Montréal would, on paper, seem to be a near-ideal opponent for the Fire. Their opening result of the season would have done little to serve as a counterargument, their 5-0 defeat being the worst that any team suffered on opening weekend.
Montréal – already without the high-end talent of the league’s top teams – will be at even more of a deficit on Saturday: U22 Initiative center back Tomás Avilés, on loan from Inter Miami is unavailable, receiving a straight red card in the season opener (thereby depriving Fire fans the pleasure of watching a talented-but-chaotic South American defender, an experience they were once able to have every week).
It should be, if not easy, a highly manageable game for the Fire.
All of which is to say, for many long-term Fire fans, this feels like it could be a trap game.
If looking for reasons why, the Fire’s infirmary ward may give you plenty: The Fire were without a natural left back – and the backup that can play on either side in Jonathan Dean – opening week, and were also missing Jonathan Bamba on the left wing and normal team captain Jack Elliott at center back. Sam Rogers, normally a depth option, is likely unavailable for this one after having left the season opener with an injury.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Berhalter confirmed that Dean will be back following the birth of his daughter. Gutman will be out, and nominal backup left back Viktor Radojević won’t be available to make his Fire debut. Both Baba and Elliott are both open questions – as is Robin Lod, who picked up a knock in training. “I think they have the potential to make it into the squad,” Berhalter said, “so we’re going to have to see tomorrow how it ends up.”
A year ago, the Fire surprised many – including opponents – with their style of play in Berhalter’s first year. Even for returning coaches – as is the case for both Chicago and Montréal – new arrivals and offseason reflection can change the style of play.
Combine that with last week’s game from Montréal – on the receiving end of a 5-0 “thumping,” as John said on The Bonfire, with a red card early in the second half, and was Berhalter worried that they have enough tape?
“Not really. We have all their preseason games on tape. We watched the first 47 minutes intently of the game. We watched the rest of it, also, but there was a factor to consider,” Berhalter said, with his characteristic humor that’s dry enough to pass off as seriousness on most transcripts.
“What I said is they have a very clear identity of what they're trying to do. They want to force turnovers. They want to transition quickly. They do have the big man up top,” in Prince Owusu, “who they play into well, talented wingers, inverted wingers that can come inside.”
All of that’s true – and while Berhalter wouldn’t say that the team was putting special emphasis on winning this one – “I think it’s important to win every game,” winger (midfielder? wingback?) Maren Haile-Selassie opened the curtain a bit more, saying “Obviously it's a new year, a new team, so we don't want to think too much about things that didn't go as well last year but also common this year. I remember before the first game that we set some goals for ourselves. One of them was for sure at home, have a better record.”
“First of all, it's going to give us more points,” Haile-Selassie said, “and we're going to be more likely to achieve our goals, but also just for our fans, to show them what our quality is on the pitch. I know we've been very good away from home last year, but in this league, I think away from home, the points that you get should be bonuses and at home you should do the homework for sure. We want to start that way from this weekend, just with a fresh mentality, not thinking about last year too much, but being conscious that we want to have a very good start as well.”
As for the matinée aspect of the game? “Personally, I prefer playing a little bit earlier,” the Swiss…. outfield player said, continuing “Maybe this one is a little bit too early, but a little bit early, I like it, because otherwise the day can get very long and you're just kind of waiting for the game. Like that, you wake up, you prepare, you have a good meal, whatever, and then it's go time.”
Matchday Information and How To Watch
Date and Time: Saturday, February 28, 2026, 1:30 PM CT
Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
Forecast: Clear with high of 36ºF; snow after the game
TV: Apple TV
Radio: WLS 890 AM (English), Que Buena Fire via the Uforia App (Spanish).
