Matchday | Chicago Fire FC Returns from International Break to Face Nashville SC at Soldier Field

Match Information

Chicago Fire FC (2-2-1, 7 points) vs. Nashville SC (4-0-1, 13 points)
Saturday, April 4, 2026
7:30 p.m. CT
Soldier Field – Chicago

How to Watch: Apple TV
English: Neil Sika & Kyndra de St. Aubin
Spanish: Nacho Garcia

How to Listen: WLSAM.com // Uforia App by TREBEL
English: Max Anderson & Joe Chatz
Spanish: Omar Ramos & Teresa Limón

Match Preview

Chicago Fire FC returns from the international break with a match against first-place Nashville SC on April 4 at Soldier Field.

The Fire will kick off a run of five of their next six matches at home with the toughest test of the season. Nashville has started the season with a club record for most points and goals through five matches. In their last match, the Boys in Gold routed Orlando City SC, highlighted by a hat trick from MLS Player of the Month Sam Surridge, who has scored seven goals in four games in 2026. But the sweetest result for Nashville may have come outside of league play, bouncing defending MLS Cup champion Inter Miami CF out of the Concacaf Champions Cup.

For Chicago, Saturday will be yet another opportunity for revenge against an opponent that won both regular season meetings in 2025. The Men in Red faced their first such challenge last time out, facing 2025 Supporters' Shield holders Philadelphia Union on March 21. Hugo Cuypers scored the opener – his fourth goal in four games – before the Union tied it near the end of the first half. But Jonathan Bamba finished a Robin Lod cross to take the lead in the second half. The Fire backline held to beat Philadelphia on the road for the first time since 2013.

All-Time MLS Regular Season Record vs. NSH: (1-6-2)

Last Match vs. NSH: June 14, 2025 (0-2 L) – Soldier Field – Chicago (Match Recap)
Last Match at NSH: April 26, 2025 (2-7 L) – GEODIS Park – Nashville, Tenn. (Match Recap)

Hyundai Keys to the Match:

• Spoiler Alert: Nashville arrives in Chicago with a 4-0-1 record powered by MLS Player of the Month and leading scorer Sam Surridge. But the Fire have a top 10 defense in MLS that is ready to hand the Boys in Gold their first loss of 2026.

• The Revenge Tour: The Men in Red return to Soldier Field following a 2-1 win at the Philadelphia Union, which won the season series in 2025. Now they get a shot at revenge against Nashville, another team that won twice last year against the Fire.

• Sweet Home Chicago: The Fire kick off a run of five of the next six league matches at Soldier Field. A win against Nashville can set the tone for the rest of the month and bring the Fire to the top of the East.

Match Notes

• Forward Hugo Cuypers has opened the 2026 regular season with four goals in four matches and is now chasing a tie for the longest scoring streak in Fire history. Forwards David Accam and Robert Berić are tied with five consecutive games with a goal; Cuypers can join them if he tallies on Saturday. The Belgian striker has scored once in three matches against Nashville.

• Besides Cuypers, wingers Chris Mueller and Philip Zinckernagel have scored against Nashville previously. If one of Cuypers or Zinckernagel scores, he can become the first Fire player to have multiple goals against Nashville in series history; five players have scored only once against the Boys in Gold as members of the Fire.

• After scoring his second game-winning goal of the season in the 2-1 victory against Philadelphia, Jonathan Bamba will look for his third against Nashville on Saturday. The winger only tallied one such goal last season but tied that mark in his first appearance of the season against CF Montréal on Feb. 28. Last year, Cuypers scored six game-winners, the most since Ring of Fire member Ante Razov’s six in 2000, which followed a Fire record seven in 1999.

• Homegrown goalkeeper Chris Brady returned from international duty with the U.S. Men’s National Team looking to carry on his hot form as one of only nine goalkeepers with one goal or fewer allowed per game, and one of 10 with more than one clean sheet. His next shutout would be his 20th in regular season history.

• Both Brady and Maren Haile-Selassie are a handful of appearances away from reaching the century mark with Chicago Fire FC. Brady has appeared in 97 matches – all starts – and is in line for number 98 on Saturday. The versatile Haile-Selassie has appeared in all five contests this year; if he plays his sixth of 2026 against Nashville, he will be five games short of the 100-game mark, one currently held by only 22 players in Fire history.

Lineups

Chicago Fire FC Director of Football and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter has named the following Starting XI looking for a second win in a row:

• One change was made to the Starting XI that earned a 2-1 victory at the Philadelphia Union in the last match before the international window.

• Maren Haile-Selassie will appear in his sixth match of the year and 95th regular season match for Chicago. The versatile Swiss veteran will line up on the right wing, replacing Hugo Cuypers (Head) in the matchday roster.

• Lining up at center forward position next to Haile-Selassie is Robin Lod in his sixth game of 2026. Jonathan Bamba completes the front three in his fifth start in as many games, looking for his third game-winning goal of the season.

• Directing the attack from the middle of the pitch is Philip Zinckernagel in his sixth start of the year. The Danish winger will be supported by tonight’s captain, Anton Salétros, and Dje D’Avilla in yet another shift in the midfield.

• Andrew Gutman resumes his role at left back after his return to the spot for the first time this season in the win against Philadelphia before the international window. The Chicago Fire Academy graduate will be joined by right back Leonardo Barroso, who returned from international duty with the Portugal U-21 Men’s National Team last week.

• A pair of senior national team call-ups, Joel Waterman and Mbekezeli Mbokazi, will man the center of the backline tonight. Both Waterman and Mbokazi saw minutes with the Canadian and South African national teams, respectively, with the South African the talk of the footballing world following an incredible goal from long distance against Panama.

• The third of the Fire’s senior international call-ups is goalkeeper Chris Brady, who starts his 98th regular season match with Chicago looking for career clean sheet number 20. The Homegrown netminder is currently top-10 in goals allowed and shutouts in the league this season.

• Available off the bench are goalkeeper Josh Cohen; defenders Jack Elliott, Viktor Radojević, Jonathan Dean and Christopher Cupps; midfielders Mauricio Pineda and Sergio Oregel Jr.; winger Puso Dithejane; and forward Jason Shokalook.

• Cuypers and midfielder Chris Mueller (Not Due to Injury) will be unavailable for selection. Defender Sam Rogers (Lower Body) and midfielder André Franco (Lower Body) are currently on the league Injured List and will be unavailable for multiple weeks.

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