Sporting Kansas City at Chicago Fire FC
2026 MLS Regular Season | Game 9
Saturday, April 25 | 7:30 p.m. CT (7:40 kickoff)
Soldier Field | Chicago, Illinois
Watch: Apple TVÂ |Â Pub Partners
Listen: 810 AM | 1340 AM | SKC App
More: 5 Things | Game Notes
Sporting Kansas City returns to the road this weekend for a third straight away game as the team takes on Chicago Fire FC at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday at Soldier Field.
The cross-conference match-up will be available to watch in English (Christian Miles and Kacey White) and Spanish (Nacho Garcia) on Apple TV with local radio coverage airing on Sports Radio 810 WHB (Blake Aerni and Jon Kempin) and La Grande 1340 AM (Josue Orantes and Diego Gutierrez). All of the action will also be shown in pub partners across the Sporting Pub Network, including the club's official watch party at No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District.
Sporting Kansas City and the Chicago Fire have no shortage of history in the all-time series between the two clubs. The teams met in 27 straight seasons from Chicago's inaugural year in 1998 through 2024 -- including Kansas City victories in MLS Cup 2000 and the 2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final -- however last season marked the first year in which the teams did not meet in a competitive match.
Sporting Kansas City head coach Raphael Wicky will be back in the Windy City where he previously managed the Fire in 2020 and 2021 before leading BSC Young Boys to a pair of trophies in his native Switzerland from 2022-2024. Sporting defender Justin Reynolds is also a former member of the Chicago Fire organization, developing in the club's academy before signing a homegrown contract and making 12 appearances for the first team from 2023-2025.
Sporting Kansas City will look to snap a five-game losing skid -- in which SKC has conceded three or more goals in all five games -- on Saturday against a Chicago Fire squad that is unbeaten in their last five matches across all competitions.
Led by head coach Gregg Berhalter, Chicago's roster is headlined by Designated Player Hugo Cuypers who leads the team with six goals this season after recording 20 goal contributions (17 goals and three assists) in 2025. The team's attack also features MLS All-Star Philip Zinckernagel, who is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he contributed 15 goals and 15 assists as a Newcomer of the Year finalist.
On the opposite end of the field, Chicago's backline is anchored by South African international Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Canadian international Joel Waterman in central defense. In net, homegrown Chris Brady leads all Eastern Conference goalkeepers with four clean sheets this season.
Saturday's showdown will be played at Soldier Field, the oldest NFL and MLS stadium with more than 100 years of history -- including the opening ceremony for the 1994 FIFA World Cup -- as the Fire build a new $750 million stadium expected to open in 2028. CHIvSKC will be officiated by Brandon Stevis, who made his debut as an MLS referee last month.
