Chicago Fire FC II Announces Schedule For 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Regular Season

CHICAGO (March 14, 2023) - MLS NEXT Pro and Chicago Fire FC II today announced the 28-game schedule for the 2023 season. Chicago will open the season on the road against Inter Miami CF II on Sunday, March 26 in DRV PNK Stadium, and will host Toronto FC II in the team’s home opener on Friday, March 31 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Ill. The match against Toronto will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV+ app. 

All of Chicago’s home games will take place at SeatGeek Stadium and will be open to the public for free. The majority of regular season matches, plus all Decision Day matches, playoffs matches and MLS NEXT Pro Cup, will be available to watch live and on-demand on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app. The remainder of regular season matches will stream live on mlsnextpro.com. MLS Season Pass is the subscription service from Apple and Major League Soccer that is home to all MLS and Leagues Cup matches and hundreds of MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches.  

Each team will play divisional opponents two to three times, as well as the other teams in their conference at least twice. The 2023 season will mark the first time Chicago hosts expansion teams Huntsville City FC, MLS NEXT Pro affiliate of Nashville SC and Crown Legacy FC, MLS NEXT Pro affiliate of Charlotte FC. 

The Chicago Fire FC II roster will comprise of first team players, players signed to MLS NEXT Pro contracts, as well as members of the Chicago Fire Academy. Ludovic Taillandier returns as the head coach for Chicago, alongside assistant coaches former Fire forward Patrick Nyarko and Gerson Pérez.  

This season, every MLS NEXT Pro team will compete in 28 regular season games across 27 weeks, four more matches than the inaugural season, with MLS NEXT Pro Decision Day taking place on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023. New to 2023 is the Timed Substitution Rule, a rule which allows a maximum of 10 seconds for a player to leave the field when he is substituted. Should a player not leave the field of play within the 10 seconds, the replacement player will only be able to enter after a 60 second holding period, resulting in the offending team playing a man down for a minimum of one minute. Also returning this season is the penalty shootout if the match is even through 90 minutes.  

For the full 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Schedule, please visit mlsnextpro.com. 

Home Opponents: Atlanta United FC II, Crown Legacy FC II, FC Cincinnati 2, Columbus Crew 2, Huntsville United FC, Inter Miami CF II, New England Revolution II, New York City FC 2, New York Red Bulls II, Orlando City B, Philadelphia Union II, Toronto FC II. 

Away Opponents: Atlanta United FC II, Crown Legacy FC II, FC Cincinnati 2, Columbus Crew 2, Huntsville United FC, Inter Miami CF II, New England Revolution II, New York City FC 2, New York Red Bulls II, Orlando City B, Philadelphia Union II, Toronto FC II. 

2023 Chicago Fire FC II Regular Season Schedule (Home matches in bold) 

*Schedule is subject to change