\n Match Information<\/p>\n
Chicago Fire FC (8-4-2, 26 points) at Inter Miami CF (9-2-4, 31 points)
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
6:30 p.m. CT
Nu Stadium \u2013 Miami<\/p>\n
How to Watch:\u00a0Apple TV<\/a> How to Listen:\u00a0WLS 890 AM<\/a>\u00a0\/\/\u00a0TUDN Chicago 106.7-HD2<\/a> \n Match Preview<\/p>\n After enduring a homecoming match postponement, Chicago Fire FC will finally return from a lengthy FIFA World Cup break, taking to the road to face Inter Miami CF on Wednesday, July 22 at Nu Stadium.<\/p>\n Chicago closed out the first half of the regular season with a primetime match against Toronto FC on May 23 at Soldier Field. Although Toronto tied the match following Robin Lod\u2019s opening tally, defender Andrew Gutman sent the Fire into the break on a three-game winning streak with a header off a Philip Zinckernagel cross. The fans were treated to a victory ahead of a tournament that featured three Men in Red \u2013 goalkeeper Chris Brady (United States) and defenders Mbekezeli Mbokazi (South Africa) and Joel Waterman (Canada).<\/p>\n The Men in Red\u2019s first opponent of the second half will be the defending MLS Cup champions, Inter Miami CF, who are second in the Eastern Conference 15 games into the season. Since a season-opening loss to LAFC at the iconic Rose Bowl, the Herons have only fallen one other time in regular season play. It will be the first time Chicago plays at Miami\u2019s Nu Stadium and the first time they meet in South Florida since a 5-3 victory in September 2025 that clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 2017.<\/p>\n All-Time MLS Regular Season Record vs. MIA:\u00a0(5-3-2)<\/p>\n Last Game vs. MIA:\u00a0April 13, 2026 (0-0 D) \u2013 Soldier Field \u2013 Chicago (Match Recap<\/a>) \n Starting XI<\/p>\n Chicago Fire FC Director of Football and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter has named the following Starting XI tasked with starting the second half of the season with three points:<\/p>\n Four changes were made to the Starting XI that closed out the first half of the season with a 2-1 win against Toronto FC on May 23 at Soldier Field. <\/p>\n The wait is over \u2013\u00a0Robert Lewandowski\u00a0will make his highly-anticipated debut from the outset at forward. The global football icon is the seventh Poland-born player to take the pitch with Chicago. He will look to become the 14th player to score in his Major League Soccer debut as a member of the Fire and the first since Rominigue Kouam\u00e9 in a 3-1 road win at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on March 22, 2025. <\/p>\n Jonathan Bamba\u00a0returns to the pitch for the first time since May 13. The winger will take up his customary spot on the left, playing in support of Lewandowski and\u00a0Maren Haile-Selassie, who lines up along the Polish striker up top. <\/p>\n The midfield will be marshaled by\u00a0Dje D\u2019Avilla, who will feature in his 35th regular season match with the Men in Red. The Ivorian midfielder scored the opening goal in Chicago\u2019s last match against Miami, the 5-3 victory on Sept. 30, 2025 that clinched an MLS Cup Playoffs spot. In his 11th start of 2026, D\u2019Avilla will share the center of the pitch with\u00a0Anton Sal\u00e9tros, who played all 90 minutes in the victory against Toronto before the break. <\/p>\n After joining the Canada Men\u2019s National Team at FIFA World Cup 2026, defender\u00a0Joel Waterman\u00a0will start his seventh match of the year in the heart of the Fire backline. Waterman will share defensive duties with captain\u00a0Jack Elliott\u00a0once more, who just broke the 23,000-minute mark in MLS regular season play in the win against Toronto. <\/p>\n Another World Cup call-up,\u00a0Chris Brady, will start tonight in Miami. The Homegrown goalkeeper returns from international duty with the U.S. Men\u2019s National Team looking for his fourth win in seven matches against Miami and seventh shutout of the year. <\/p>\n Supporting Brady, Elliott and Waterman are fullbacks\u00a0Jonathan Dean\u00a0and\u00a0Andrew Gutman. Dean also started at right back in the last match against Miami, scoring the second of a five-goal outburst for Chicago. Gutman played all 90 that night as well at left back, in search of a second straight match with a goal after tallying the game-winner against the Reds at Soldier Field. <\/p>\n Philip Zinckernagel\u00a0will look to continue the red-hot form that drove the Fire\u2019s current three-game winning streak. The Danish winger recorded four goal contributions in those three matches, including an assist on Gutman\u2019s game-winning goal in the last victory of the first half. <\/p>\n Goalkeeper Josh Cohen; defenders Leonardo Barroso, Sam Rogers and Viktor Radojevi\u0107; midfielders Mauricio Pineda and Sergio Oregel Jr.; winger Puso Dithejane; and forwards Robin Lod and Jason Shokalook are available off the bench for Berhalter. <\/p>\n Defenders Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Lower Body) and Christopher Cupps (International Duty) and winger Chris Mueller (Not Due to Injury) are unavailable for selection against Miami. Midfielder Andr\u00e9 Franco (Lower Body) remains on the league Injured List and is projected to return in the second half of the season.<\/p>\n For instant updates, follow Chicago Fire FC on X (@chicagofire<\/a> and @VamosFire<\/a> using hashtags #cf97), Instagram (@chicagofire<\/a>), TikTok (@chicagofire<\/a>), Facebook at facebook.com\/chicagofire\/<\/a>, Threads (@chicagofire<\/a>) and Bluesky (@chicagofire.bsky.social<\/a>).<\/p>\n
English: Jake Zivin & Taylor Twellman
Spanish: Sammy Sadovnik, Diego Valeri & Antonella Gonz\u00e1lez<\/p>\n
English: Rudy Hodgson & Joe Chatz
Spanish: Omar Ramos & Teresa Limon<\/p>\n
Last Game at MIA:\u00a0Sept. 20, 2025 (5-3 W) \u2013 Chase Stadium \u2013 Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Match Recap<\/a>)<\/p>\n