Match Information
Chicago Fire FC (0-1-0, 0 points) vs. CF Montréal (0-1-0, 0 points)
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026
1:30 p.m. CT
Soldier Field – Chicago
How to Watch: Apple TV
English: Jessica Charman, Ian Joy
Spanish: Francisco X. Rivera
French: Frederic Lord, Vincent Destouches
How to Listen: WLS 890 AM // Que Buena Fire on Uforia App by Trebel
English: Max Anderson & Joe Chatz
Spanish: Omar Ramos & Liz Jimenez
Match Preview
Chicago Fire FC returns to the lakefront to open the home portion of the 2026 schedule against CF Montréal at Soldier Field.
The Fire return home after a season-opening road loss to Houston Dynamo FC Saturday night at Shell Energy Stadium. Belgian striker Hugo Cuypers opened the scoring for 2026 with a 31st minute strike, before Houston newcomer Guillherme scored twice in the second half to give his side the victory. Four players made their debut for Chicago, including three making their first Major League Soccer appearance. Defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi, midfielder Anton Salétros and winger Puso Dithejane featured for the first time in Major League Soccer, while midfielder Robin Lod made his Fire debut after 158 regular season appearances for Minnesota United FC.
Montréal arrives in Chicago following a road loss against Supporters’ Shield contenders San Diego FC. The hosts took an early lead and never looked back, shutting out the Canadian side 5-0 with goals from four different players. The Bleu-blanc-noir will look for a bounce-back performance similar to their last match in Chicago, when they earned a point in a chilly 1-1 draw on March 29, 2025 at Soldier Field.
All-Time MLS Regular Season Record vs. MTL: (10-13-8)
Last Game vs. MTL: March 29, 2025 (1-1 D) – Soldier Field – Chicago (Match Recap)
Last Game at MTL: July 19, 2025 (2-0 W) – Stade Saputo – Montreal, Quebec (Match Recap)
Hyundai Keys to the Match:
- Go for Gold: The United States saw plenty of success against Canada in the Winter Games, as did the Fire in 2025. A win would extend a six-game unbeaten streak against Canadian teams dating back to 2024, including a 2-0 win in the Fire’s last game against Montréal in July.
- Beware of the Bleu-Blanc-Noir: Montréal finished 13th in the Eastern Conference last year and dropped its opening match in San Diego last week. But the Men in Red know this won’t be an easy match. “Montréal is a difficult team to play against,” said Head Coach Gregg Berhalter. “They have a very clear identity of what they're trying to do.”
- Bring it! Coach Berhalter has one directive for the Men in Red on Saturday: get three points in the home opener. “We know the fans give us a ton of energy and we know we need to hold up our end of the bargain by giving them something to cheer about,” he said before the match.
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