CHICAGO, IL–The deal was finalized on Tuesday. Chicago Fire FC have signed US National Team midfielder Kellyn Acosta as a free agent to a contract through 2026 with a club option for 2027.
“We’re very pleased that Kellyn has joined the Club, as he was our primary target in free agency in the offseason,” said Chicago Fire FC Sporting Director Georg Heitz. “We wanted to add a well-rounded central midfielder with strong leadership qualities and a track record of success. Kellyn has won trophies with multiple clubs and has been a great ambassador for the League while representing the U.S. Men’s National Team, including most recently at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Kellyn choosing the Fire at this stage of his career shows that he fully believes in our vision to build a Club that is one of the top teams in MLS and has a deep connection with the local community.”
Acosta, 28, spent the last two seasons with LAFC and helped lead the team to an MLS Cup title and a Supporters’ Shield trophy in 2022. The box-to-box midfielder and former MLS All-Star scored the opening goal in the 27th minute of MLS Cup 2022 to set the tone and help guide the team to its first-ever league title, defeating Philadelphia Union on penalty kicks. Most recently, Acosta was a pivotal player in LAFC’s return to the MLS Cup in 2023, where the team narrowly lost 2-1 on the road to the Columbus Crew.
He started his pro career at FC Dallas and helped that team win the US Open Cup and Supporters’ Shield in 2016. He spent six seasons in Dallas before going to Colorado in 2018. In 2021, he helped the Rapids to the Western Conference top seed. Acosta has appeared in 252 MLS regular season matches (212 starts) and 16 MLS playoff matches (14 starts).
Internationally, Acosta has represented the U.S. Men’s National Team at the highest level, featuring in the team’s run in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He made appearances in the 1-1 tie against Wales and the 1-0 win against Iran in the group stage of the tournament. Acosta was also an instrumental part of qualifying for the tournament, playing in 13 of the 14 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches leading up to the global event. He has 58 caps for the USMNT and two goals and five assists.
