Match Preview - D.C. United @ Chicago Fire FC on Saturday, March 14 2026

Match Preview - D.C. United at Chicago Fire FC | Saturday, March 14, 2026

D.C. United travels to Chicago, Illinois this Saturday, March 14th for the club's second road match of the 2026 MLS season, taking on Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. The Black-and-Red look to secure their first road win of the season and continue building on the quality shown in the opening three matches of the campaign. 

Last Saturday's match at M&T Bank Stadium in front of a record crowd of 72,026, the largest in club history, was one that tested the Black-and-Red early.  D.C. United went toe-to-toe with the defending MLS Cup champions and showed the team resillience under Head Coach René Weiler. Despite going down 2-0 in the first half, the Black-and-Red came into the secod half looking like a more organized and threatening team. Forward Tai Baribo pulled one back in the 75th minute with a composed left-footed finish from the center of the box following a shot from midfielder Jackson Hopkins.  This was Baribo's second goal of the season, which sent the stadium into a frenzy. Hopkins was the standout performer across the 82 minutes he was on the pitch, generating a match-high four shots (two on goal) and eight corner kicks. Goalkeeper Sean Johnson was called upon throughout the match, recording three saves and defender Keisuke Kurokawa led the team with nine defensive recoveries. 

The clean sheet in the home opener against Philadelphia and the second-half response against Inter Miami are two early indicators of the mentality Weiler has built into this group. Midfiedlers Matti Peltola and Brandon Servania have provided the defensive foundation that was missing for stretches of 2025, with Servania completing 240 minutes across all three matches and Peltola logging 269. Gabriel Pirani has been a creative force in the attacking third, and João Peglow already has a game-winning assist to his name after just three appearances. 

Chicago enters Saturday's home match on the back of a scoreless draw at Columbus Crew and sit at 1-1-1 with four points in the Eastern Conference. The Fire have shown defensive resilience, conceding just two goals through three matches, though their attack will be shorthanded on Saturday. Forward Hugo Cuypers, who leads the team with two goals this season, is unavailable with a lower body injury, while defenders Andrew Gutman and Sam Rogers also remain sidelined with lower body injuries. Midfielder Robin Lod has provided creativity off the bench, scoring in the 3-0 home win over CF Montreal. Goalkeeper Chris Brady has posted clean sheets in his last two matches and will present a significant challenge between the posts for the Black-and-Red. 

D.C. United will look to stay compact on the road and use the speed of attacking options Baribo, Peglow, Pirani, and Munteanu in behind Chicago's backline. With a road win on Saturday, the Black-and-Red would improve to 2-2-0 and keep pace in the Eastern Conference standings heading into back-to-back away matches against Atlanta United and Philadelphia Union.   

By the Numbers

• D.C. United's road record against Chicago Fire FC is 8-13-15, with 40 goals scored and 54 conceded across 36 matches. 

• Midfielder Caden Clark has two goals and one assist in seven career appearances against Chicago Fire FC. 

• The Black-and-Red rank 16th in MLS averaging 20 accurate long balls per match; Chicago Fire FC rank 23rd averaging 17.3 accurate long balls per match. 

• Chicago Fire FC goalkeeper Chris Brady has a 0.67 Goals Against Average with eight saves and two clean sheets in three appearances so far this 2026 season. 

• Midfielder Maren Haile-Selassie leads the team with six chances created this season, averaging two per 90 minutes.

Last Match Against Austin FC | July 26, 2025 @ Audi Field

In their most recent meeting on June 7, 2025, Chicago Fire FC defeated D.C. United 7-1 at Audi Field. The match came during a difficult stretch for the Black-and-Red, who were without several key players on international duty. D.C. United controlled 57% of possession and registered 14 shots and nine corner kicks but could not convert chances at the rate needed to stay in the match. Forward Dominique Badji scored the club's lone goal in the 60th minute, taking advantage of a poor touch from Chicago goalkeeper Jeffrey Gal to open his account for the season. Homegrown midfielder Gavin Turner made his professional debut off the bench in the 66th minute in a proud moment for the club, showing composure on the ball and testing Chicago's defense with a blocked shot late in the match. Saturday represents the first meeting between the two clubs in 2026 as D.C. United look to turn the page on that result under Head 

How to Watch

D.C. United fans can catch all the action of their favorite team on Apple TV. With this, you can watch every D.C. United match live, whether it’s home or away, along with exclusive pre- and post-match coverage. Simply open the Apple TV app, navigate to MLS Season Pass, and enjoy the entire 2026 season. Whether you're at home or on the go, you'll have access to every match, ensuring you never miss a moment of D.C. United's season. Enjoy seamless streaming on your Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, and more!  

Radio broadcasts will be available live on the iHeartRadio App and Freedom 104.7 FM. Legendary broadcaster Dave Johnson, who has called matches for D.C. United since the club’s inception in 1996 will return to the booth alongside Bruce Murray, former United States National Team player (1985-1993, 85 caps and 21 goals) and Class of 2011 National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee. The pair have partnered on radio calls since 2023 to deliver high-quality and passionate radio calls for fans. Supporters watching D.C. United MLS Regular Season matches on MLS Season Pass can opt to listen to Dave Johnson and Bruce Murray calling the match on the MLS Local Radio Broadcast channel.