Match Information
Chicago Fire FC (5-4-2, 17 points) at D.C. United (4-4-4, 16 points)
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
6:30 p.m. CT
Audi Field – Washington
How to Watch: Apple TV
English: Mike Watts & Lori Lindsey
Spanish: Sergio Ruíz & Walter Roque
How to Listen: wlsam.com // TUDN Chicago 106.7-HD2
English: Max Anderson & Joe Chatz
Spanish: Omar Ramos & Teresa Limón
Match Preview
Chicago Fire FC returns to the road for a midweek rematch against D.C. United on Wednesday, May 13 in our nation’s capital.
Chicago will take on D.C. United smarting from a 3-1 loss to Red Bull New York on Saturday, May 9 at Soldier Field. After dominating the possession and chances throughout the first half, the Fire gave up a goal shortly before the break to trail at halftime for the first time this season. The visitors struck two more times before Hugo Cuypers tallied to extend his scoring streak to eight straight games, taking the lead in the league’s Golden Boot race with 11 goals in 2026.
D.C United seek a repeat performance from their last match against the Fire, a 2-1 win on the lakefront on March 14. The Black-and-Red enter the midweek matchup unbeaten in their last five matches, including a 2-2 road draw against Eastern Conference leaders Nashville SC on Saturday night. Forward Louis Munteanu and midfielder Lucas Bartlett gave D.C. a 2-0 lead just 30 minutes into the match. Despite a comeback attempt from the hosts that saw the score tied at two goals, the visitors held on for a valuable road point as they return home for three matches before the World Cup break.
All-Time MLS Regular Season Record vs. DC: (24-28-22)
Last Game vs. DC: March 14, 2026 (1-2 L) – Soldier Field – Chicago (Match Recap)
Last Game at DC: June 7, 2025 (7-1 W) – Audi Field – Washington, D.C. (Match Recap)
Hyundai Keys to the Match:
- Back on the Road: After a four-game homestand, the Fire are back on the road for the first time in nearly a month. Much like last year, Chicago has had a strong form on the road in 2026, unbeaten in four games across all competitions since the season opener in Houston. Can the Fire look like last year’s road warriors again?
- Back to the Lab: The Men in Red are returning to the scene of the crime – specifically, a 7-1 victory in June 2025. The Fire attack will be thirsty for more of the same, but the defense will be on alert for D.C.'s own thirst for revenge.
- Jack is Back: Defender Jack Elliott has squared off against D.C. United 20 times in the regular season – the fifth highest tally among active players – including eight games at Audi Field. Of those eight, his sides have won six by a combined score of 24-3, with three shutouts. It’s good to have Jack!
Match Notes
- Forward Hugo Cuypers’ 87th minute tally against Red Bull New York was his 11th goal of the season, the top mark in MLS in the 2026 regular season. This marks the second time in his career he has held sole possession of a league’s top scoring honors. The Belgian striker won his country’s top scorer award, the Jupiler Pro League Golden Boot, after scoring 34 times for KAA Gent during the 2022-23 season.
- Chicago will return to Audi Field for the first time since an historic 7-1 victory on June 7, 2025, in which it tied the Club record of goals scored in a single match (7-0 win at Kansas City on July 4, 2001). The match was one Fire goal away from tying the MLS record for goals scored by a visiting team set by LA Galaxy in an 8-1 victory at the Dallas Burn on July 4, 1998.
- D.C. United is Chicago’s third most common opponent in team history, facing off 74 times in regular season play. The mark is six matches fewer than the Fire’s 80-game rivalry with Columbus, and only one fewer than the 75 against the New England Revolution. The Black-and-Red hold a 28-24-22 advantage all-time in the series.
Starting XI
Chicago Fire FC Director of Football and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter has tasked the following Starting XI with earning a win at Audi Field for the second year in a row.
- Three changes were made to the Starting XI that hosted Red Bulls New York on Saturday at Soldier Field.
- Robin Lod returns to the Starting XI after missing a match due to a facial injury suffered against FC Cincinnati on May 2. Lod will spearhead the attack alongside Hugo Cuypers, who could become only the fifth player in Major League Soccer to score in nine straight games with a goal against D.C. United.
- Mauricio Pineda starts his third match of the season, paired up for the first time this year with Dje D’Avilla in the center of the midfield. The Homegrown midfielder will make his 159th appearance with Chicago Fire FC, the 11th most of any player in Club history.
- Mbekezeli Mbokazi is back in the Starting XI after sitting out the match against New York. The South African international has started nine of Chicago’s 11 previous matches, playing in four of the Fire’s victories and clean sheets this season. He will pair up with Jack Elliott in the backline, who dons the captain’s armband in his ninth appearance at Audi Field.
- Jonathan Bamba makes his second straight start out on the left wing of the Fire attack. He will line up on the opposite side of the field from Philip Zinckernagel, who will look for a return to his 2025 road form in which he tied the MLS record for most consecutive road games with a goal contribution.
- Lining up alongside Mbokazi and Elliott in the defense are right back Jonathan Dean and left back Andrew Gutman for a fifth consecutive match. Along with Cuypers, Gutman is the only player with multiple goals against D.C. United in the active roster; one of those goals was his first with the Fire, coming on his 100th professional start on Sept. 7, 2024.
- Chris Brady starts his 104th regular season match in goal for Chicago. The Homegrown goalkeeper has faced D.C. United six times in his career, posting one shutout in the process. With one more, Brady would match last season’s total of six clean sheets.
- Available off the bench for Berhalter are goalkeeper Josh Cohen; defenders Sam Rogers, Viktor Radojević, Joel Waterman and Dylan Borso; midfielder Maren Haile-Selassie; wingers Chris Mueller and Puso Dithejane; and forward Jason Shokalook.
- Defender Leonardo Barroso (Lower Body), and midfielders Anton Salétros (Head) and Sergio Oregel Jr. (Head) are unavailable for selection tonight. Midfielder André Franco (Lower Body) remains on the league Injured List and will be unavailable through the World Cup break.
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