Sporting Kansas City will play against Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field on April 25 as part of the Major League Soccer regular season.
The match is significant for both teams, with Sporting Kansas City aiming to end a five-game losing streak and Chicago Fire FC currently unbeaten in their last five matches across all competitions. The game will be available for viewing in English and Spanish on Apple TV, with local radio coverage provided by Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM. Fans can also watch the match at official pub partners, including No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District.
This meeting continues a long-standing rivalry between the two clubs, who have faced each other every season from Chicago’s inaugural year in 1998 through 2024. Notable past encounters include Kansas City’s victories over Chicago in MLS Cup 2000 and the final of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2004. Last season was the first time they did not meet competitively.
Sporting head coach Raphael Wicky returns to Chicago, where he previously managed the Fire during the 2020 and 2021 seasons before moving on to lead BSC Young Boys to two trophies in Switzerland from 2022 to 2024. Defender Justin Reynolds also has ties to Chicago, having developed within their academy before joining Sporting KC after making twelve appearances for the Fire’s first team between 2023 and 2025.
Chicago’s roster features Designated Player Hugo Cuypers, who leads his team with six goals this season following a strong performance last year with seventeen goals and three assists. Philip Zinckernagel adds further attacking strength after contributing fifteen goals and fifteen assists as a Newcomer of the Year finalist last year. Defensively, Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Joel Waterman anchor central defense while homegrown goalkeeper Chris Brady leads all Eastern Conference goalkeepers with four clean sheets this season.
The game will take place at Soldier Field, recognized as both an NFL and MLS stadium with over one hundred years of history—including hosting ceremonies for events such as the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in June of nineteen ninety-four—as construction continues on a new $750 million stadium expected to open for Chicago Fire FC in twenty twenty-eight.
