CHICAGO (March 20, 2025) – Chicago Fire FC II today announced that the Club has signed midfielder Brody Williams to an MLS NEXT Pro contract through 2028, with club options for 2029 and 2030.
“We are very happy to welcome Brody to the Club as a player who not only is already a top talent in the country but has a great desire to keep growing,” said Chicago Fire FC Sporting Director Gregg Broughton. “We continue to emphasize that Chicago a top destination for local and global talent and having Brody return to Chicagoland to continue his development is another example of the clear pathway to becoming a professional that the Chicago Fire has to offer.”
Williams, 15, joins Chicago from MLS NEXT club Barça Residency Academy in Arizona, where he played with the Barça Residency Academy U-15 and U-16 MLS NEXT sides and scored 10 goals in 24 matches. The young midfielder was one of eight Barça players born in 2010 selected to the U.S. Soccer Boys Talent ID Center in October 2024.
“Brody is a versatile player with a very high ceiling,” said Chicago Fire FC II General Manager Alex Boler. “We’ve been following his progress with Barça Residency and feel that he’s ready to make the jump from MLS NEXT to MLS NEXT Pro. He is an excellent player who fits into our playing system as well as within our team and we’re excited to have him with us in Chicago.”
Originally from South Africa, Williams moved with his family to the Chicago Suburbs from where he was invited to join Barcelona’s Residency Academy in Arizona. The Academy is the Catalan club’s only youth residency academy in the United States.
Transaction: Chicago Fire FC II signed Brody Willliams to an MLS NEXT Pro contract through 2028, with Club options for 2029 and 2030.
Name: Brody Williams
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5’7”
Weight: 129 lbs.
Date of Birth: March 14, 2010
Hometown: Schaumburg, Illinois
Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa
Citizenship: South Africa
Previous Club: Barça Residency Academy
