Chicago Fire FC will open the home portion of the 2025 schedule on Saturday, March 1, when it hosts D.C. United at Soldier Field. The match will mark the home debut of Chicago Fire Director of Football and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter.
Saturday’s contest against D.C. United will mark the second consecutive match against a founding member of Major League Soccer, with FC Dallas making it three in a row the following week. As such, Chicago and D.C. have an extensive history, facing off 71 times since 1998. The Black and Red have a 27-23-21 edge all-time against the Men in Red, including a four-match unbeaten streak dating back to 2023. However, the Fire are 5-0-2 (4-0 in series) all-time in postseason play, including one key match: a 2-0 victory on Oct. 25, 1998 that gave Chicago its first MLS Cup.
Defender Jack Elliott once again leads all active Fire players with 1,485 minutes played against D.C. United, while midfielder Kellyn Acosta leads the way with three goals all-time. Hoping to add to his 2025 account will be midfielder Brian Gutiérrez, who is tied at the top of the MLS scoring list with two goals following his performance in Columbus.
First kick at Soldier Field is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT. The match will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass, and transmitted locally via WLS 890 AM and wlsam.com (English), and La Que Buena 105.1 FM via the Uforia app (Spanish).
Game Information
CHICAGO FIRE FC (0-1-0, 0 points) vs. D.C. United (0-0-1, 1 point)
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Soldier Field – Chicago
All-Time MLS Regular Season Record vs. DC: (23-27-21)
Last Game vs. DC: Sept. 7, 2024 (1-2 L) – SeatGeek Stadium – Bridgeview, Ill. (Match Recap)
Last Game at DC: May 25, 2024 (1-1 D) – Audi Field – Washington, D.C. (Match Recap)
by the numbers
2 – Good things came in pairs for the Fire in their opening match of 2025. Brian Gutiérrez tallied the first brace of his career, scoring both goals before halftime. In his debut with Chicago, Jonathan Bamba also assisted Gutiérrez twice, becoming the second player in Club history to notch two assists in his first match. Only David Vaudreill has done that feat in Fire history, recording two assists in a 7-0 road victory over the Kansas City Wizards on Fourth of July, 2001.
3 – Kellyn Acosta leads the way among current Fire players with three goals against the Black and Red in his career. But he and the Men in Red will have their work cut out for them against D.C. United forward Christian Benteke, who also has three goals in only two matches against the Fire. The Belgian forward also added an assist in each contest and will be a threat in the air that Chicago will hope to contain.
7 – Gutiérrez’s performance in the season opening-loss to Columbus earned him a spot on the opening MLS Team of the Matchday presented by Audi. This is the seventh time he has earned such a distinction in his career, and the third time he has earned a spot on the league’s Starting XI, having made the bench four other times. The Homegrown midfielder last made the cut in the 2024 season opener – also on the road, but that time in Philadelphia, where he scored and assisted in a 2-2 draw against the Union.
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