Match Information
Chicago Fire FC (11-6-5, 38 points) vs. Inter Miami CF (12-4-7, 43 points)
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
7:30 p.m. CT
Soldier Field – Chicago
How to Watch: Apple TV
English: Jake Zivin & Taylor Twellman
Spanish: Sammy Sadovnik & Diego Valeri
How to Listen: WLS 890 AM // TUDN Chicago 106.7-HD2
English: Max Anderson & Joe Chatz
Spanish: Omar Ramos & Teresa Limon
Match Preview
Following the conclusion of a four-game league road trip, Chicago Fire FC is back at Soldier Field for a two-game homestand starting with a rematch with Inter Miami CF on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
The Fire’s road trip came to an end on Saturday night with a visit to Toronto FC at BMO Field. Coming off two straight matches with a goal, winger Maren Haile-Selassie made it three in a row with the opening tally. Forward Josh Sargent scored twice in the first half for Toronto before Chicago leveled with an own goal just four minutes into the second half. Sargent completed a hat trick five minutes later, but Haile-Selassie responded with his second of the match before Robert Lewandowski scored the Men in Red’s fourth of the night. The lead held through stoppage time before substitute winger Derrick Etienne Jr. curled in a shot that found the opposite corner of the goal to salvage a point for the hosts.
Chicago will return home for two crucial matches against fellow top-four teams in the Eastern Conference. Up first is second place Inter Miami CF, the defending champions and winners of the last meeting between the sides on July 22. Miami closed out a three-game homestand with a visit from Atlanta United FC on Saturday night. The first half was marked by a pair of assists by Leo Messi, making him the first player in league history to have 30 goal contributions in three different campaigns. The second half was chippier, with four yellow cards and a penalty kick scored in his MLS debut by Swiss international Breel Embolo. That 87th minute score was all the visitors needed to spoil the fun in Miami, wrapping up the homestand with only four points.
All-Time Major League Soccer Record vs. MIA: (5-4-2)
Last Game vs. MIA: April 13, 2026 (0-0 D) – Soldier Field – Chicago (Match Recap)
Last Game at MIA: July 22, 2026 (2-3 L) – Nu Stadium – Miami (Match Recap)
Hyundai Keys to the Match:
- Swiss Army Knife: Few players in MLS are hotter than Maren Haile-Selassie currently is; now, he faces a team he loves to play against. The Swiss winger has two goals and five assists in his career against Miami, including a three-assist game in the 5-3 win on Sept. 30, 2025 that clinched a playoff berth for Chicago.
- Summer Blockbuster: Two Eastern Conference heavyweights. Global icons galore. One iconic venue. Where else would you rather be on a Wednesday night?
- Broken Record: The Men in Red are back at Soldier Field after a four-game road trip. Their reward is a massive home crowd that could rival the record-setting 62,358 that attended last season’s clash. Will the record be broken on Wednesday night?
Match Notes
- Chicago’s 4-4 draw at Toronto was the sixth consecutive match without a loss in league play, the Club’s best mark since an 11-game unbeaten streak in 2017. It was also the Fire’s 19th in a row with at least one goal scored, the longest single-season mark and second-longest since the Fire’s record-setting, 24-game scoring streak from Aug. 19, 2000 to July 21, 2001.
- Maren Haile-Selassie scored twice against Toronto, his second match with multiple goals in his time with Chicago. The only other time he scored more than once was against Inter Miami CF on October 4, 2023. In front of a then-record crowd of 62,124, Haile-Selassie gave the Fire the lead for good in the 62nd minute before adding a second just three minutes later in an eventual 4-1 victory.
- Haile-Selassie leads all current players with seven goal contributions in the series between Chicago and Miami. In addition to those two goals in 2023, the winger has tallied five assists. Defenders Jonathan Dean and Andrew Gutman, midfielder Djé D’Avilla, and forwards Robin Lod and Puso Dithejane have also scored once against Miami.
Starting XI
Chicago Fire FC Director of Football and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter has named the following Starting XI, tasked with sending a sold out Soldier Field crowd home happy with a win against Inter Miami CF:
- Two changes have been made to the Starting XI that extended an unbeaten run in league play to six in a 4-4 draw at Toronto FC on Saturday night.
- Just days after leaving Miami, defender Noah Allen will make his first start with Chicago facing his hometown club. Allen made his first appearance with his new club on Saturday as a halftime substitution against Toronto. He will line up alongside captain Jack Elliott in the heart of the backline.
- The versatile Finnish footballer Robin Lod returns to the starting lineup after coming off the bench for 26 minutes in Toronto. He will line up alongside the duo of Djé D’Avilla and Anton Salétros in the center of the park.
- Spearheading the Fire attack is Robert Lewandowski in his iconic “9” position. The Polish striker will face Miami for a second time this season after making his Major League Soccer debut in a start in South Florida on July 22, this time with a goal and an assist in each of his last two games.
- Moving out of the midfield and onto the left wing is Maren Haile-Selassie, who comes into the Wednesday night with seven goal contributions against Miami. Haile-Selassie is in red-hot form as well, scoring four goals in his last three matches.
- Joining Lewandowski and Haile-Selassie in the front line is Philip Zinckernagel, who takes up his regular role on the right wing. The Danish winger recorded an assist in the draw against Toronto, his team-leading ninth of the season.
- Jonathan Dean and Andrew Gutman join Allen and Elliott in defense of the Fire goal. Both went the full 90 against Toronto, with Dean adding his first assist of the year.
- Homegrown goalkeeper Chris Brady rounds out the Starting XI, looking for a career-high 12th win of the season.
- Goalkeeper Josh Cohen; defenders Leonardo Barroso and Sam Rogers; midfielders Mauricio Pineda, David Poreba, Sergio Oregel Jr. and Robert Trudean; and forwards Puso Dithejane and Johan Gómez.
- Winger Jonathan Bamba (Lower Body) is unavailable for selection against Miami. Defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Lower Body) and midfielder André Franco (Lower Body) remain on the Injured List.
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