Chicago Fire FC returns to the lakefront for an Eastern Conference rematch against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, July 26.
Chicago is back home after taking four out of six possible points on the road last week. The Men in Red earned their first point at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in a 2-2 draw against Atlanta United FC on Wednesday before heading north of the border to face CF Montréal on Saturday. Forward Hugo Cuypers got the Fire on the board in the 13th minute of the match, followed by defender Jack Elliott’s first goal with Chicago in the second half. Homegrown goalkeeper Chris Brady made five saves en route to the Fire’s third shutout of the season and seventh win away from home.
New York will be smarting from a 5-1 loss against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF Saturday night in New Jersey. Defender Alexander Hack opened the scoring with his first goal of the season for the Red Bulls. But Miami answered back with five unanswered goals, capped by Messi’s fourth brace in the last five matches. They will now hope for a repeat of their last match against Chicago, a 2-1 home victory on April 5 in which Jonathan Bamba scored his first goal for the Fire.
Game Information
CHICAGO FIRE FC (3-1-2, 11 points) at New York Red Bulls (2-2-2, 8 points)
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Soldier Field – Chicago
All-Time MLS Regular Season Record vs. RBNY: (32-22-16)
Last Game vs. RBNY: Sept. 14, 2024 (2-1 W) – Soldier Field – Chicago (Match Recap)
Last Game at RBNY: April 5, 2025 (1-2 L) – Sports Illustrated Stadium – Harrison, N.J. (Match Recap)
Keys to the Match
- Don't Take Any Chances: Chicago Fire FC returns to the Windy City, kicking off a three-game homestand with a rematch against the New York Red Bulls. The game will be capped with a special post-game concert by Chicago icon Chance the Rapper, but his won’t be the only high-end performance that night. The Men in Red aren’t taking any chances against the Red Bulls, who sit one place above in the standings. With a week off in sight, Chicago will not hold back – a win would see them go into playoff position with fewer than a dozen games left in the regular season.
- Neck and Neck: The Fire and the Red Bulls are neck and neck entering Soldier Field, each with nine wins and nine losses. Both sides have identical goal differentials of four, but Chicago holds the edge in goals, with 44 to New York’s 39. It will be a battle, especially between star forwards Hugo Cuypers and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. The two strikers are among the league’s top nine performers, each tallying 13 goals this season. This high-stakes duel could be the difference between being in and out of the playoffs come October.
- Aye Aye, Captain: Captain Jack Elliot has been at the center of the Fire’s success this season. The defender has started in all but one match this year, pacing Chicago with 1,949 minutes. His most recent matchup against CF Montréal ended in a shutout victory for Chicago thanks to his sterling defense. His inspirational pregame speeches are not the only thing leaving a lasting impression – his first goal with the Men in Red, on a header off of Philip Zinkernagel’s corner kick, showed he's a dynamic player anywhere on the pitch.
By the Numbers
10 – With his 10th assist of the season on Saturday, winger Philip Zinckernagel became the first player to record 10 goals and 10 assists in a single season of Chicago Fire FC history. The winger’s 20 goal contributions are now tied for the sixth highest total in a single season in Club history. His 10th consecutive road match with a goal or an assist also matched a league record set by Josef Martínez in 2018 with Atlanta United FC.
11 – Defender Jack Elliott scored his first goal with Chicago on Saturday, the 11th regular season goal of his nine-year career. The goal, and his performance in the team’s third shutout of the season, earned the defender a place on the Starting XI in the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 26.
13 – Forward Hugo Cuypers scored his 13th goal of the season in the 13th minute of the match against CF Montréal. The strike was his team-leading fourth game-winning goal of the year, the fifth largest number in a single season in Club history.
How to Watch
Chicago’s Eastern Conference rematch against the New York Red Bulls is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT and will be followed by the second show of the Summer Concert Series presented by Café Bustelo featuring Chicago artist Chance the Rapper. The match will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and transmitted locally on WLS 890 AM and wlsam.com (English), and Que Buena Fire via the Uforia App (Spanish).
