CHICAGO (Feb. 13, 2024) – Chicago Fire FC today announced that it has acquired U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Kellyn Acosta as a free agent. Acosta is under contract with the Club through the 2026 season with a Club option for 2027.
To celebrate the additions of both Acosta and recently signed Designated Player, forward Hugo Cuypers, the Fire are offering a complimentary kit – for either player – for fans who purchase two or more Season Memberships between Tuesday, Feb. 13 and Monday, Feb. 19 at 9 p.m. CT. Be the first to welcome the Fire's latest signings and cheer them on in style. For more information, fans can visit www.chicagofirefc.com/tickets.
“We’re very pleased that Kellyn has joined the Club, as he was our primary target in free agency in the offseason,” said Chicago Fire FC Sporting Director Georg Heitz. “We wanted to add a well-rounded central midfielder with strong leadership qualities and a track record of success. Kellyn has won trophies with multiple clubs and has been a great ambassador for the League while representing the U.S. Men’s National Team, including most recently at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Kellyn choosing the Fire at this stage of his career shows that he fully believes in our vision to build a Club that is one of the top teams in MLS and has a deep connection with the local community.”
Acosta, 28, spent the last two seasons with LAFC and helped lead the team to an MLS Cup title and a Supporters’ Shield trophy in 2022. The box-to-box midfielder and former MLS All-Star scored the opening goal in the 27th minute of the 2022 championship match to set the tone and help guide the team to its first-ever MLS Cup trophy, as LAFC defeated the Philadelphia Union on penalty kicks. Most recently, Acosta was a pivotal player in LAFC’s return to the MLS Cup in 2023, where the team narrowly lost 2-1 on the road to the Columbus Crew.
Internationally, Acosta has represented the U.S. Men’s National Team at the highest level, featuring in the team’s run in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He made appearances in the 1-1 tie against Wales and the 1-0 win against Iran in the group stage of the tournament. Acosta was also an instrumental part of qualifying for the tournament, playing in 13 of the 14 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches leading up to the global event.
Acosta was one of only two players to be included on the USMNT roster for the 2021 Concacaf Nations League and Gold Cup competitions. He played the full 120 minutes in both final victories, helping to lead the USMNT to two trophies in the same summer. Overall, Acosta has earned 58 caps for the USMNT, notching two goals and five assists. He has also represented the U.S. at FIFA World Cups at the U-17 (2011) and U-20 (2013, 2015) age levels.
A native of Plano, Texas, Acosta was a member of the FC Dallas Academy where he signed a Homegrown contract with FC Dallas in July 2012. Acosta made his MLS debut with Dallas in 2013, winning the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and MLS Supporters Shield with the club in 2016. Acosta remained with Dallas until 2018 when he joined Colorado. While with the Rapids, Acosta helped Colorado clinch the top seed in the Western Conference in 2021 and started 19 of the 21 matches in which he played. He was also named the Rapids’ 2021 Humanitarian of the Year. Since making his MLS debut, Acosta has appeared in 252 MLS regular season matches (212 starts) and 16 MLS playoff matches (14 starts).
Transaction: Chicago Fire FC acquires midfielder Kellyn Acosta as a free agent. Acosta is under contract with the Club through the 2026 season with a Club option for 2027.
Name: Kellyn Acosta
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 150 lbs.
Date of Birth: July 24, 1995
Hometown: Plano, Texas
Birthplace: Plano, Texas
Citizenship: USA
Last Club: LAFC
