The 2024 Chicago Fire FC season is the club's 29th year of existence, as well as their 27th in Major League Soccer.
Summary
Offseason
The Fire's offseason began after their 1-0 loss to New York City FC on October 21. The loss caused the Fire to miss the playoffs for a club record sixth consecutive season.
In terms of staff, the Fire would start by bringing back sporting director Georg Heitz and technical director Sebastian Pelzer for a fifth season on November 14. The move was met with criticism from many fans, and was seen as rewarding mediocrity by some.[1][2] The Fire would also announce the hiring of club legend and interim head coach Frank Klopas as the permanent head coach on December 5. Klopas had previously served as head coach from 2011 through 2013, a short term as interim in 2021, and was the interim following Ezra Hendrickson's firing in May 2023. The hiring, much like Heitz and Pelzer, was met with some criticism.[3] On January 19, Klopas announced his coaching staff for the 2024 season. Club legend and assistant coach C. J. Brown would step down from the role to take on a new grassroots role with the Fire, while assistant coach Nikolaos Kostenoglou would part ways with the Fire. Goalkeeping coach and club legend Zach Thornton was retained as goalkeeping coach while assistant coach Theodoros Antonopoulos joined Jeff DeGroot as a video analsyt. New hires included former Houston Dynamo head coach and two-time MLS Cup champion Paulo Nagamura and former Beitar Tel Aviv Bat Yam F.C. head coach Carlos Garcia being named as assistant coaches, with Ryan Needs being named the newly-created set piece coach.[4]
In terms of player movement, the Fire would ultimately end up bringing in eight new players and letting go of nine. The first major action occurred on November 14, with Homegrown and the club's 2023 MVP being re-signed to a new U-22 Homegrown player contract. On November 22, they announced their contract options for the 2024 season, keeping five players and exercising the purchase option on Maren Haile-Selassie's loan from the Fire's sister club FC Lugano, while releasing six other players. Homegrown Javier Casas was being negotiated with and would ultimately sign a new contract with the Fire on January 14. Defender Miguel Navarro and forwards Jairo Torres and Kacper Przybyłko would also leave the club before the beginning of the season. Navarro was traded to fellow MLS side the Colorado Rapids on December 12 while Przybyłko was transferred to FC Lugano on February 16. Torres and the Fire came to an agreement to mutually end Torres' DP contract with the club on February 9. Navarro's transfer to Colorado would also include the Fire's first new signing of the offseason- former academy defender Andrew Gutman. The Fire would also sign two more players via transfers within MLS, forward Tom Barlow from New York Red Bulls on December 18 and defender Chase Gasper from Houston Dynamo on January 30. The Fire were also active in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, drafting five players- though only one would sign with the club. Former Fire academy goalkeeper Bryan Dowd from Notre Dame was the Fire's first pick and was signed on January 15. Internationally, the Fire signed two players. Danish defender Tobias Salquist was signed on January 14 from Silkeborg IF for an undisclosed amount. On February 6, the Fire would sign Belgian forward Hugo Cuypers from Gent for a club record amount. While the Fire did not announce the total amount of the transfer, it was reportedly over $12 million with two million in possible add-ons.[5] Finally, on February 13, the Fire announced the signing of MLS veteran and USMNT veteran Kellyn Acosta as a free agent.
The Fire's preseason formally began on January 15, when the club would travel down to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. While in Florida, the club would play two friendly matches- a 5-1 victory against USL Championship side Loudoun United FC and a 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls. Following five days of training in Chicago from January 31 through February 4, the club would then head to the Coachella Valley Invitational in Indio, California. While there the club would play four games- a 3-1 loss to Los Angeles FC and three wins: 1-0 against Austin FC, 4-0 against Minnesota United FC, and 2-1 against the Portland Timbers. Following this, the club headed back to Chicago ahead of their first game of the season against the Philadelphia Union. The Fire finished the preseason 4-1-1 with 15 goals for and seven against, with five players scoring two goals a piece.[6]
February and March
The Fire's season formally started on February 24, with the team traveling to face the Philadelphia Union. The Fire would have three debutants start (Arigoni, Cuypers, and Gutman), and three more (Acosta, Barlow, and Gasper) would come on during the game. Left back Andrew Gutman went down with a no-contact injury five minutes into the game, and fellow debutant Chase Gasper was brought on. The Fire would score twice, off of goals from Brian Gutierrez and Fabian Herbers, both of whom assisted the other's goal. On the opposite side, the Fire conceded two goals, with goalkeeper Chris Brady registering two saves. Brian Gutierrez was named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for his performance, though the Fire reached 15 seasons since they last won their opening match.
The Fire would return to Soldier Field against FC Cincinnati on March 2. The game was the first time since 2019 that the Fire wore their iconic red and white jerseys, and the first time since the Fire faced Manchester United in a friendly match on July 23, 2011 in Soldier Field, and their first time in an official match in Soldier Field since the 2005 season. The match would see the Fire lose 2-1 with captain Xherdan Shaqiri scoring the lone goal off of a penalty kick. Kellyn Acosta would start his first game for the Fire, while winger Chris Mueller would return following an injury he'd suffered in May 2023.
On March 9, the Fire went to Columbus and lost 2-1. The game saw the Fabian Herbers score his second goal of the season, while the Fire conceded the losing goal ten minutes into extra time. Goalkeeper Chris Brady recorded nine saves in the game, a personal best, with Chase Gasper and Tobias Salquist starting their first games. In the week following this game, the Fire announced the loaning of two players: homegrown right back Justin Reynolds to FC Lugano for the remainder of their season and homegrown striker Missael Rodriguez to Union Omaha for the 2024 USL League One season.
Acquired from Colorado in exchange for Miguel Navarro and $450k in GAM spread out over 2024 and 2025, and immediately signed to a contract through 2026 with an option for 2027
Alongside those listed above, Fire II defenders Lamonth Rochester and Jaylen Shannon and midfielder Omari Glasgow also travelled with the squad to Bradenton during preseason.[30] During the trip to Coachella, Fire academy keeper Patrick Los was added to the roster, while Shannon, Rochester, and Shokalook did not travel with the team.[31]
Updated to match(es) played on May 18, 2024. Source: MLS Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Updated to match(es) played on May 18, 2024. Source: MLS Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Results summary
Overall
Home
Away
Pld
Pts
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
4
4
1
2
1
8
9
−1
1
1
0
5
5
0
0
1
1
3
4
−1
Last updated: March 16
Source: MLSsoccer.com standings Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference
Chicago Fire FC was not sent to the tournament, but their MLS Next Pro team Chicago Fire FC II was sent instead following the deal reached on March 1, 2024.[32]
Degerfors IF
Vélez Sarsfield
Hibernian F.C.
Kei Kamara
Alonso Aceves
Ousmane Doumbia
Miguel Navarro
Kacper Przybyłko
Oluwaseun Oyegunle
Laurence Wootton
Paulo Nagamura
Carlos García
Unknown
44' 
58' Padelford
82' Edwards
