Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, Chicago Park District Superintendent and CEO Mike Kelly, and the Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced that the team will return to Soldier Field to play their home games starting in 2020. SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois has been home to the Fire since 2006, and the team will continue to utilize the stadium as a training facility and headquarters for Chicago Fire Youth development programs. The Chicago Fire was founded in 1997 and began playing in Major League Soccer in 1998. The Fire won the MLS Cup and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup its first season, and additional U.S. Open Cups in 2000, 2003, and 2006.  As an early MLS expansion team, the Fire played at Soldier Field from 1998 until 2001 and then from 2003 to 2005 before moving to Bridgeview in 2006. The Chicago Fire will open its 2020 season on March 21 against the reigning MLS Cup champions and current U.S. Open Cup Champions, Atlanta United FC. Major League Soccer has 34 regular season games – 17 away and 17 home games played between March and October. All regular season home games will be played at Soldier Field.