CHGO Chicago Fire Podcast

The Chicago Fire just had their best week in a long time! Maybe ever? A road win in Orlando powered by a Hugo Cuypers brace, the announcement of a new stadium, Chris Brady is going to the Gold Cup, and a barnstorming blowout of DC United featuring a hat trick by Tom Barlow of all people! Alex is joined by Fire radio broadcaster Max Thoma to enjoy all the good news and good vibes ahead of this week...

At long last! After months of whispers and not so subtle hints, the Chicago Fire on Tuesday morning unveiled their plans for a 22,000 seat, privately funded, soccer-specific stadium in Chicago’s South Loop. Construction is expected to begin this fall, with the expectation it will be completed ahead of the 2028 MLS season. What does this mean for the Fire? For Chicago sports? Alex is joined by CHGO...

Last week started well for the Fire, with a dominant 4-1 win on the road against Charlotte FC powered by two goals and an assist for Brian Gutierrez. It ended Sunday with a 1-0 lead that turned into a 3-1 loss to NYCFC at Yankee Stadium in large part due to Gutierrez elbowing an opponent in the face and being sent off. This will be the second time he’s been suspended this season, and by the end of...

The Fire played three home games in the last week and came away with two wins and a draw! What can we learn from the red-card tainted draw with Orlando, Open Cup demolition of Detroit, and long-awaited home breakthrough vs Atlanta? Plus, is Kevin De Bruyne headed for a different city known for its pizza? And how are the Fire’s kids doing these days? It’s an ‘Alex and Alex Show’ as Alex Calabrese o...

The Fire have played three games since our last show: an entertaining draw vs Messi and friends, a sloppy and crazy 3-2 loss to Cincinnati, and an humiliating blowout at the hands of Gregg Berhalter’s former assistant B.J. Callaghan and Nashville SC. What’s gone wrong, what’s not working, and what can we conclude after 10 games? Then, the Chicago grassroots soccer community, Edgewater Castle FC Pr...

Become a CHGO Diehard for just $4 a month! http://allchgo.com/intro-offer-youtube The third time’s the charm… right? On Sunday afternoon, the Fire welcome Inter Miami to Soldier Field for a third time since Lionel Messi’s arrival in MLS and he might actually play this time! The Fire are a better team in years past, though beset by injuries. Miami after a disappointing draw against Toronto have CON...

Since our last show, the Chicago Fire went on a three-game road trip and returned to Chicago with a maximum nine points! Led by goal-a-game striker Hugo Cuypers, the Fire now sit tied for second place in the Eastern Conference despite continuing to deal with injuries and absences. Alex breaks down the last few weeks and what Gregg Berhalter has this team doing so right, before being joined by Joe...

The podcast is back and the Fire are two games into the Gregg Berhalter era! How’s that going so far and what can be taken from just 180 minutes of soccer? Also, the Fire officially unveiled their brand new, state-of-the-art training center and it is pretty spectacular. Alex is joined by good friends of the show Joe Chatz and Tim Hotze for a jam packed 2025 debut. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz...

Join the DIEHARDS for just $4 a month! https://www.allchgo.com/intro-offer-youtube  The long-running disaster that was the 2024 Chicago Fire season has finally come to an end, culminating in an abysmal home performance over the weekend to solidify this as the worst season by record in team history. Alex Campbell is joined by Joe Chatz to briefly eulogize, before they move on to discuss comments by...

After weeks of smoke and rumors, it's official: Former United States Men’s National Team head coach Gregg Berhalter is the Fire’s new Director of Football and head coach. Is hiring someone for both jobs a smart idea? What does this mean for the Fire? What happens next? Alex is joined by Alex Calabrese of Men in Red 97 Media for this Emergency Podcast to break down the big news. Hosted by Simplecas...

With two losses in their last three matches, the Chicago Fire have all but sealed a seventh consecutive season missing the playoffs despite MLS having a hilarious number of teams make the cut every year. Alex assesses the latest damage, what’s gone so wrong this time, and muses about a potential new era ahead. Then, Joe Lowery of Backheeled and the Total Soccer Show joins to discuss the Fire poten...

At this point, watching the Chicago Fire feels like some sort of punishment. After being obliterated by Messi-less Miami in front of 55,000 spectators and Jason Derulo, a change of venue didn’t help as they lost to DC United in Bridgeview. Alex Campbell and Joe Chatz of OnTap Sports want to talk about those games as little as possible, so they take listener questions! Is there any hope for this te...

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

He’s outta here! On Wednesday morning, the Chicago Fire announced they and Xherdan Shaqiri had mutually agreed to terminate the remainder of the Swiss international’s contract bringing to an end three underwhelming, well-paid years in Chicago. Alex is joined by Alex Calabrese of Men In Red 97, who initially broke the news, to look back on the now former designated player’s time in red (and navy) a...

The unthinkable and long-awaited has finally occurred! Monday morning, the Chicago Fire announced that Sporting Director Georg Heitz is stepping down from his position after this season having spend five years in charge of the club’s soccer operation. Alex reacts to the news, looks back at the highs and (mostly) lows of Heitz’s tenure, and ponders what comes next. Learn more about your ad choices....

The break in MLS play for Leagues Cup is here, and the Chicago Fire are both barely out of the playoffs and barely out of last place. A win away to conference-leading Cincinnati was sandwiched by games that were disappointing for different reasons. Where does that leave things as the Fire travel to KC to kick off their part in the summer cash-grab? Also, has anyone seen Xherdan Shaqiri? Alex and T...

Just weeks after it felt hope had been restored, the Chicago Fire continue to barely flicker. Three losses in their last four, including an embarrassing loss to league-worst San Jose and only slightly helped by a crazy 4-3 win over Philadelphia have the Fire once again looking like one of MLS’ worst teams. Alex is joined by Joe Chatz to break down the games and explain what’s going on at Soldier F...

The Fire have won back-to-back games! The Fire won a game on the road! The Fire scored four goals in a game, including goals by Mauricio Pineda and Alan Arigoni?! The vibes are…good? Alex is joined by Alan Krolikowski to discuss what conclusions we can start to draw from the four games since the team’s tactical shift. Speaking of which, it sure seems like Shaqiri is gone; where would that leave th...

It actually happened! For the first time in two months, the Chicago Fire won a soccer game! Even better, it was against an LA Galaxy team they hadn’t beaten in 14 years! Alex is joined by Nick Poteres of Glass House Soccer to revel in the rare moment of joy. There were two other games that happened since last show, both 1-1 draws and both less important. Meanwhile, Shaqiri might be gone, Brady and...

Two more weeks gone, two more weeks without a win, three games lost and only two goals scored. The Chicago Fire continue to tailspin without a win in their last seven games now off to the worst start in team history. Alex is joined by Alex Calabrese to discuss yet another forgettable fortnight of Fire soccer. They then check in on the Fire’s second team and academy in search of reasons for optimis...

After the Chicago Fire looked to have hit rock bottom two weeks ago with a 4-0 home loss to Real Sal Lake, things have somehow gotten worse. Two more home games without a goal, a loss to the Eastern Conference’s worst team, and only a solitary point from the homestand have dug the Fire further and further deeper in. Alex flies solo on this one and takes questions from the CHGO Diehard Lounge and s...

There is bad, and then there’s whatever the Fire were on Saturday night against Real Salt Lake. Following a home win vs Houston and drab away draw in New Jersey, did the Fire hit a new low this weekend at Soldier Field? Alex is joined by Matt Shabelman of Men In Red 97 to pick through the wreckage of that performance and evaluate the reactions it produced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit p...

A rain-soaked draw in New England and a hammering in Atlanta see the Fire return home looking extinguished. What went wrong on the road trip? What’s (still) not working? Who’s to blame? Should Frank Klopas’ seat be starting to get warm? How important is the Fire’s upcoming run of games with a lot at home? Meanwhile, the US Open Cup returns this week as Fire II (or maybe more accurately Fire 1.5) f...

The Chicago Fire just won one of the weirdest games ever… but first! Alex is joined by Chicago Fire II Head Coach Ludovic Taillandier ahead of Wednesday’s start to the US Open Cup, in which CF2 will take on Chicago USL League 2 side Chicago City SC. We discuss the opportunity this presents the team and in particular it’s young players, and what success looks like in this odd year for America’s old...

The Chicago Fire returned home to Soldier Field this weekend back in red! Alex and guest co-host Nick Poteres of Glass House Soccer speak with Chicago Fire Vice President of Matchday Operations and Guest Experience Joey Colby-Begovich about his vision for Fire home games and some of the new things we saw on Saturday. As for something that wasn’t new, the Fire lost 2-1 to FC Cincinnati as a result...