Chicago Fire’s New Stadium Plan: Wich MLS Teams Don’t Control Their ⁣Venue?

⁣ ⁣ Updated⁢ June 4, 2025

The Chicago Fire made waves with tuesday’s announcement of a privately financed, $650 million, 22,000-seat stadium⁣ project. The‍ stadium, ⁣slated for completion by the ⁤2028 MLS season, will be built on a vacant downtown parcel called “The 78,” giving the Fire a permanent home.

This marks the Fire’s second attempt at a “permanent” ⁣venue. Their previous home, SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Ill., failed⁢ to attract the city’s urban fanbase. After acquiring the club in 2019, owner Joe mansueto opted out of the lease to return the team to Soldier Field, also home to‍ the Chicago Bears.

With Mansueto’s new stadium, only six MLS teams will remain as secondary tenants. new ⁢York City FC is scheduled to move into its own stadium in Queens in 2027.

Here’s a⁤ look at those six clubs and their potential to follow the Fire’s lead in securing their ‍own venues, impacting the MLS ⁢stadium landscape and the overall soccer experience.

Teams Sharing⁢ Stadiums: New England Revolution, Vancouver Whitecaps, Seattle Sounders, Atlanta United,⁢ Charlotte FC, and San Diego FC

New England Revolution

The Revolution, a founding MLS club, has always played in⁣ Foxborough, Mass., as a‍ secondary tenant in stadiums built for ⁤the NFL’s New England Patriots. The Kraft family owns both teams.While they initially showed little interest in relocating the Revolution, that has changed recently.

A plan to build a smaller, soccer-specific venue in Everett, Mass., near downtown⁤ Boston, is under consideration. However, it requires political approval, leaving the Revolution at Gillette ‍Stadium for now.

Vancouver Whitecaps

The ⁤Whitecaps currently share BC ⁤Place with the CFL’s BC Lions. Recent speculation about the team being up for sale has⁤ raised concerns about relocation.

Discussions are ongoing about building a soccer-specific venue at the city’s PNE fairgrounds, where the club temporarily played during BC Place renovations. However,‍ no formal announcement has been made.

Seattle Sounders

The Sounders, consistently among the league’s attendance leaders, play at Lumen Field, home ⁤of the NFL’s Seattle ⁤Seahawks. The large venue doesn’t pose⁣ the same atmosphere challenges as it ⁣might in other markets.

Though, the Sounders’ ownership is separate from the Seahawks’. The club has explored building a permanent stadium at their new training facility in Renton, Wash.,near Seattle.

atlanta United

Atlanta United has played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium since its opening.While they are a secondary tenant behind the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, both teams share owner Arthur blank.

There are⁢ no active discussions about building a soccer-specific venue, nor a pressing financial need to control stadium revenue, as the club ‍effectively already does. Their high attendance also benefits from the larger NFL venue.

Charlotte FC

Charlotte FC follows a similar model to Atlanta, as a secondary tenant in an NFL venue owned by the ⁤club’s owner, David Tepper. like Atlanta, they appear unlikely to‍ seek a separate venue.

They have ranked second in attendance ⁢in their first three seasons, ⁣behind Atlanta and⁤ ahead of Seattle, benefiting from the extra seating capacity.

San Diego FC

It’s debatable whether to include San Diego, as the newest MLS club, because while they aren’t the primary tenant of Snapdragon Stadium, the venue was built with MLS in mind.

With roughly 35,000 seats,Snapdragon Stadium is only slightly larger than most soccer-specific MLS stadiums. Though, San Diego State’s football program is the venue’s primary operator.

What’s next

The Chicago Fire’s stadium project could‍ spur other MLS teams to pursue their own soccer-specific venues, enhancing the ⁣fan experience and solidifying the league’s presence in major cities. The focus on soccer specific stadiums⁢ could boost the MLS stadium landscape.