One of the very first expansion teams of the MLS, the Chicago Fire began league play in 1998, though the franchise was technically founded on October 8, 1997. Not so coincidentally, their founding day was the 129th anniversary of the historic Great Chicago Fire. Though the event was one of the most tragic incidents in the city's history, the city was reborn with a newfound energy – one that's channeled through the MLS team today.

Just Like Its Namesake

The Chicago Fire didn’t have a permanent home of its own for a while. For the first few years of its existence, the team played its home games at Soldier Field, bringing honor to the city thanks to their fantastic performance. We’re talking bagging the double by winning both the 1998 MLS Cup and 1998 US Open Cup, followed up by another US Open Cup win in 2000.

Alas, the Chicago Fire got displaced when Soldier Field began renovations, leading the team to temporarily quarter in Naperville, Illinois for a few years before returning to a post-refurb Soldier Field. In 2005, SeatGeek Stadium was finally ready for the team, and they've played there ever since.

Today’s Chicago Fire

For the first few years after moving to their new digs, the Chicago Fire did well. They earned another US Open Cup victory in 2006, putting yet another feather in this young team’s cap. But things shifted for the team when ownership changed hands in 2007, and they've struggled to win a major championship since. Whether it’s just a blip or an incipient curse remains to be seen, but Chicago Fire fans are nothing if not faithful. Will next season be this football club’s year? Grab some Chicago Fire tickets and find out!