What if we all showed up and just kept on yelling "PLAY FREEBIRD!" the entire time he was trying to give a speech?

Just throwing this out there: If I had a nickel for every Forward Madison alumni GK going to the World Cup, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. (Chris Brady, Dayne St. Clair, for those curious)

Joel Waterman 🇨🇦 is going to the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the CanMNT. Becomes 3rd #cf97 player to make it to the world's biggest stage this year. #VamosFire

The Chicago Fire are bucking basically every trend out there and are LOWERING season ticket prices for sprint season and 2027-28 after schedule change. Full details: www.meninred97.com/fire-to-lowe... #cf97 #VamosFire

Turns out he couldn't ship of Theseus the squad without being given replacement for the boards they ripped out in the offseason.

Remarkable considering that the Stars are one of the best NWSL teams in history in terms of PPG*. (*If you define "PPG" as "points per goal scored.")

Ask Diego Luna what being Poch's consistent choice means for the World Cup.

It's official: #cf97 's Chris Brady is going to the 2026 World Cup. 📸 : @chicagofire.bsky.social

Exclusive preview of the opening minutes of the next @soccerwisehq.bsky.social episode.

Chicago Fire legend (14 appearances, 1,226 minutes, 5 goal contribs in a year when #cf97 won the wooden spoon) Shaun Maloney celtsarehere.com/celtic-fc-di...

After some pandemic-induced cageyness, we're back to blockbusters. 2026 has the highest average single-game combined xG of any season since 2013. Enjoy it. Data: @americansocceranalysis.com

MLS xG+xA/90 Leaders at Break (750 min+) 1) Messi 🇦🇷, MIA - 1.30 2) Evander 🇧🇷, CIN - 0.96 3) White 🇺🇸, VAN - 0.95 4) Cuypers 🇧🇪, CHI - 0.94 5) Musa 🇭🇷, FCD - 0.80 6) Dreyer 🇩🇰, SD - 0.80 7) Solans 🇪🇸, RSL - 0.79 8) Denkey 🇹🇬, CIN - 0.78 9) Judd 🇺🇸, SJ - 0.75 10) Berterame 🇲🇽, MIA - 0.75

And.... I didn't include NYCFC because of a typo — so the analysis made it like they didn't exist, for previous results or future ones. Updated.

As part of the write up, I re-ran @paulharvey.theoutfield.nyc's pre-season analysis of who had it harder after the break — Fire third-hardest schedule adjustment post-World Cup. Full description about this in the 5 Things.

Lupe Fiasco is for the children 🤷🏻‍♂️ (Seriously though he put on a great show)

FINAL IN CHICAGO! 2-1 win for #cf97

Tonight's attendance at Soldier Field is 26,752. #cf97 #VamosFire

ANDREW GUTMAN! Puts the Fire ahead in the 65th minute. 2-1 in Soldier Field.

FIRE GOAL! ROBIN LOD! 3rd of the season puts the Fire ahead 1-0 in the 22nd minute #cf97 #VamosFire

#cf97 lineup vs #tfclive The 4-4-2 returns – though this time with Mauricio Pineda back for his 124th MLS regular season start alongside Anton Salétros, recovered from injury.

#cf97 v #tfclive empty stadium picture with plenty of fog

Leaked World Cup roster three days before the Fed sanctioned TV event? We're a real soccer country now

Since this is getting out of the bag anyways: can confirm that Chicago Fire's Chris Brady has made it to the #usmnt World Cup preliminary roster. 2nd #cf97 player to make it to 2026 World Cup after Mbekezeli Mbokazi Official announcement coming Tuesday.

One more time: Fire back in action in their last match before the World Cup break. Here's all you need to know before heading to Soldier Field tomorrow #cf97 #VamosFire www.meninred97.com/red-all-over-chicago-fire-vs-toronto-fc-match-15/

Being in Pacific time zone was significant: US Soccer's Pro League standards require teams in ET, CT and PT by year 6. As it stands, USL Super League is going into year 3 no teams in PT, with Oakland Soul as only announced expansion plans in PT (w/no set date to join USLSL yet).

If they're looking for a camera operator, I got a guy with experience who's probably looking for work.

Just one matchday left before the World Cup break, when we'd heard multiple teams would evaluate. Feels like teams (Crew, Austin, kinda ironically) trying to beat that clock and get first mover advantage.

This is why you don't learn tactics from Twitter, y'all.

The French World Cup roster promo video does an awesome job of somehow making Americana seem cool in 2026. My thing is, why didn't Kante order a large drink?

What if we kissed at the adjacent activation?

What. a. world. www.nytimes.com/athletic/728...

The worst part about all of this is that I think if you played it back for her, Berman would probably like this sounds.

Here's a fun fact for you: Since the teams last met, Marco Donadel overtook Frank Klopas as the (CF) Montréal Impact coach with the lowest winning percentage across his tenure there (about 20% vs Klopas's 24%).

At #cf97 training earlier. Most of the squad was in the gym after playing yesterday. Both Sergio Oregel Jr. and Anton Salétros were participants outside. #VamosFire

So MLS's admin on insta has definitely learned about the Mbokazi effect

OK so Boehm beat me to "The Burgerbeu" but that's what we're all calling it, right?

Yes, the Fire's new stadium will be called McDonalds Park – but don't let this get lost in the shuffle. Announcement includes partnership to DRAMATICLY increase Fire Foundation's PLAYS program, with goal to expand reach from 31,000 to 125,000 students. #cf97 #VamosFire

Lee was hired earlier in he year than Bruce Arena and Gregg Berhalter were in 2025. Both of them turned around bottom-of-conf finishers (players + front office) MUCH, MUCH quicker. Feels like Lee didn't know that not every MLS club has a City Football Group attached to it.

With the MLS Players Association salary data released, here's a dive into the Fire's $21.7 million wage bill www.meninred97.com/mlspa-releas... #cf97 #VamosFire

New #mls salaries out and we know what the Chicago Fire's 2 new 🇿🇦 U22 players earn: Mbekezeli Mbokazi is making $655,620 in guaranteed compensation in 2026 (904,000 rand/month). Puso Dithejane is earning $283,252 (390,000 rand/month). #cf97 #VamosFire

The Fire are heading back to DC in their first return to Audi Field since their 7-1 victory there last June. Here's the storylines and everything else you need to know heading to tomorrow's match: www.meninred97.com/in-red-chica... #cf97 #VamosFire

RBNY were just constantly able to find space in Zone 14. Way too easy for most of the day.

"It boils down to a simple idea. The idea is, we have to defend," Berhalter said of the Fire's loss yesterday. Here's 5 things we learned in the 3-1 defeat to RBNY #cf97 #VamosFire www.meninred97.com/5-things-we-...

Football. Heritage.

Results on the pitch weren't there for the Fire today but @meninred97.com still came out with a big W today. Congrats to our own @amcalabrese.bsky.social (and family)! 📸 : Barbara Calabrese (naturally and of course)

The Fire suffered their first multi goal defeat of 2026 in a "disappointing performance" from the Men In Red. #cf97 #VamosFire www.meninred97.com/red-bullied-...

Hugo gets one back for #cf97, scoring his 11th of the season in the 87th minute and extending his team-record scoring streak to eight games.

Goal for Choupo-Moting off the PK. #cf97 now down 3-0.

PK in Chicago for the Red Bulls.

Dje D'Avilla and Jonathan Dean off for Jason SHokalook and Mauricio Pineda after a VAR check for a possible penalty against the Fire in the 77th minute. #cf97