PREFACE: We want to catch up on the going on with the Fire, Red Stars, and House AC as the international break concludes in North America. Soldier Field will open up a bit more as will a couple of international slots for the Fire. Arlo White calls the first of four games on Saturday. The Red Stars return to action in Bridgeview against Washington. And we have a fixture list for House AC–also playing in Bridgeview. Now the details:
SOLDIER FIELD OPENING UP…: Soldier Field will open up the 100 and 200-level seating in time for the July 3rd match against Atlanta United. The announcement comes in conjunction with the State of Illinois and City of Chicago announcing a full reopening after 15 months of coronavirus-related restrictions. The match will mark the Fire’s first match without capacity restrictions at Soldier Field since the Club announced its return to the lakefront on Oct. 8, 2019.
Tailgating will be permitted on the Waldron parking upper deck south of the stadium starting with the June 23rd home match against FC Cincinnati.
…MINUS ONE MATCH: The September 29th match against New York City FC will be moved to an alternative site due to a scheduling conflict with the Bears who have a five-day window reserved prior to home games and there is a Bears home game on October 3rd.
The Fire’s former home, SeatGeek Stadium is available as the Red Stars play on either Saturday of that night. A wildcard could be Wrigley Field as the Cubs play their final home game of the regular season on September 26th. Wrigley last hosted a soccer match in 2012.
GREEN CARDS: Both forward Robert Beric and midfielder Luka Stojanovic received their green cards last week. Both player no longer count against the international roster. The Fire now has seven of its eight international roster slots currently occupied. The seven international players under contract for the 2021 season are: Ignacio Aliseda, Jhon Espinoza, Gastón Giménez, Stanislav Ivanov, Chinonso Offor, Boris Sekulić, and Carlos Terán.
HERE COMES ARLO: Arlo White begins the first of four matches with the Fire and WGN-TV this Saturday against Columbus Crew in the final match at Historic Crew Stadium. His next three matches are all home matches against Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. White will then head back to NBC to be the primary soccer commentator for the Olympics.
HOUSE AC FIXTURE LIST: Chicago House AC announced their inaugural fixture list for the 2021 Fall NISA Season. They will open on the road against Detroit City FC on Saturday, August 7th. After another road match on the 14th against Stumptown AC of North Carolina.
The home opener at SeatGeek Stadium will be on Saturday, August 21st against New Amsterdam FC (NY) at 7:35pm. In all, House AC will play 18 matches in the Fall Season and five of their nine home matches will be on Saturday nights, two each on Friday and Sunday, and one on Wednesday.
First though, House AC will play in the NISA Independent Cup against Milwaukee Torrent on July 9th at Hart Park Stadium in Wauwatosa.
RED STARS: The Red Stars return to action on Saturday against Washington Spirit at 7pm. The match will be streamed on Twitch.
Chicago Fire
Chicago House AC
