Chicago Fire FC returns to Leagues Cup for the first time since 2024 with a pair of home matches against Liga MX sides Club Necaxa and Club Santos Laguna this week at SeatGeek Stadium, broadcast globally on Apple TV.
Chicago welcomed the Men in Red back to Soldier Field on Saturday after two months away due to the international break. The visiting Charlotte FC struck first, but in his first game in front of his home fans, forward Robert Lewandowski equalized with a magnificent strike assisted by MLS All-Star Philip Zinckernagel. The celebration turned into a frenzy with a second goal from Lewandowski, making him the fourth player in Fire history to score twice in his home debut and giving him the game-winning goal in the 2-1 victory over Charlotte.
The Fire now turn their attention to Leagues Cup, a competition they qualified for as MLS Cup Playoffs participants in 2025. The 2026 edition of the interleague cup will be the fourth Chicago has appeared in, dating back to the inaugural version in 2019 that was limited to eight teams. This time, the Men in Red will meet Necaxa for the first time and play a second time against Santos Laguna across all competitions, before taking on Cruz Azul for the second time in Leagues Cup play next week at SeatGeek Stadium.
Necaxa comes into Bridgeview off to a hot start in domestic play. Los Rayos welcomed newcomers Atlante FC to Liga MX with a 2-1 home victory on July 16 at Estadio Victoria before repeating the same scoreline against Hugo Cuypers and C.F. Monterrey on July 26. The Aguascalientes-based side finally suffered a 3-1 stumble against a strong Deportivo Toluca side on Sunday but will return to league play in the upper half of the table behind three goals from former Philadelphia Union forward Julián Carranza.
Santos Laguna will kick off its participation in Leagues Cup against New York City FC on August 6 before facing the Fire on August 9. It has been a rougher start to the 2026 Apertura for Santos, with three consecutive losses to Monterrey, Atlas FC and Club América. But the season-opening loss against Monterrey displayed plenty of promise as forwards Lucas Di Yorio and Eduardo Aguirre scored to make it a one-goal game behind a spirited performance from Liga MX All-Star goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo.
Game Information
Chicago Fire FC (4th, MLS Eastern Conference) vs. Club Necaxa (8th, Liga MX)
Thursday, August 6, 2026
SeatGeek Stadium – Bridgeview, Ill.
All-Time Leagues Cup Record vs. NCX: (0-0-0)
Chicago Fire FC (4th, MLS Eastern Conference) vs. Club Santos Laguna (17th, Liga MX)
Sunday, August 9, 2026
SeatGeek Stadium – Bridgeview, Ill.
All-Time Leagues Cup Record vs. SAN: (0-0-0)
Last Game vs. SAN: Sept. 8, 2012 (2-2 D) – SeatGeek Stadium – Bridgeview, Ill. (Match Recap)
MAtch Notes
- Chicago is 4-13-5 in matches against Mexican competition all-time, including a record of 0-2-1 in Leagues Cup matches.
- Thursday’s match will be the first against Necaxa in any competition for Chicago. The Fire have faced Santos Laguna once in a 2012 friendly, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the defending Liga MX champions 2-2 in front of 18,597 fans in Bridgeview.
- Maren Haile-Selassie, Andrew Gutman, Jonathan Dean, Chris Brady and Mauricio Pineda are the only players on the current Fire roster to have appeared in Leagues Cup play for the Men in Red. Haile-Selassie and Pineda appeared in both the 2023 editions; Brady and Dean appeared in 2023; and Andrew Gutman saw minutes in 2024, with Brady on the bench in both games that year.
chicago fire fc headlines
Chicago Fire FC Forward Robert Lewandowski Voted MLS Player of the Matchday for Matchday 19
Robert Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel Named to MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 19
Match Recap | Robert Lewandowski Tallies Twice in Victorious Home Debut against Charlotte FC
Match Recap | Philip Zinckernagel Scores in 4-3 Win over Liga MX All-Stars in 2026 MLS All-Star Game
Christopher Morales Records Three Assists in 2026 MLS NEXT All-Star Game
Philip Zinckernagel Named to 2026 MLS All-Star Roster