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Seattle Sounders vs Chicago Fire preview: next match details

The next Seattle Sounders match sees them host Chicago Fire at Lumen Field in a Major League Soccer Regular Season - 22 clash. The game is scheduled to kick off on 2026-08-29T20:30:00Z, with the fixture currently listed as Not Started. This Seattle Sounders vs Chicago Fire preview looks at kick-off time, venue, standings, form, team news, head to head and a data-led prediction.

Seattle come into this home fixture under pressure in the Western Conference, while Chicago are pushing from near the top end of the Eastern Conference. With Seattle trying to halt a poor run of form and Chicago aiming to consolidate a strong position, when Seattle Sounders play next, there is plenty riding on this cross-conference meeting.

Match details: date, kick-off & venue

  • Competition: Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 22
  • Date / Kick-off: 2026-08-29T20:30:00Z
  • Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle
  • Status: Not Started

Standings & form

Seattle Sounders sit 13th in the Western Conference on 25 points after 20 matches. Their overall record is 7 wins, 4 draws and 9 defeats, with 22 goals scored and 27 conceded, giving a goal difference of -5. At Lumen Field they have played 9 times, winning 4, drawing 1 and losing 4, with a 14–16 home goals record. Their recent league form reads DLLLL, underlining a difficult spell that they will be desperate to reverse in front of their own fans.

Chicago Fire travel west in a much stronger position. They are 3rd in the Eastern Conference with 36 points from 20 games, having recorded 11 wins, 3 draws and 6 losses. They have scored 37 goals and conceded 26, for a goal difference of +11. Away from home, Chicago have played 10 times, winning 4, drawing 3 and losing 3, with a 17–15 away goals record. Their form line of DWWWL shows a generally positive run, even if it ended with a defeat last time out.

Season statistics add extra context. Seattle have kept 5 clean sheets so far (1 at home, 4 away) but have also failed to score 5 times6 clean sheets (4 at home, 2 away) and have failed to score only once all season. From the spot, Seattle are a perfect 2 penalties scored from 2, while Chicago have taken 6 penalties, scoring 4 and missing 2. In terms of style, Seattle have most often lined up in a 4-2-3-1 (17 matches), while Chicago have alternated between 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 as their main shapes.

Head-to-head

  • 2024-06-30T02:30:00Z: Seattle Sounders 2–1 Chicago Fire (Major League Soccer)
  • 2022-07-17T00:00:00Z: Chicago Fire 1–0 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer)
  • 2020-07-14T13:00:00Z: Chicago Fire 2–1 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer)
  • 2020-03-01T20:00:00Z: Seattle Sounders 2–1 Chicago Fire (Major League Soccer)
  • 2019-03-16T17:00:00Z: Chicago Fire 2–4 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer)
  • 2018-06-24T02:00:00Z: Seattle Sounders 1–1 Chicago Fire (Major League Soccer)
  • 2017-05-14T01:00:00Z: Chicago Fire 4–1 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer)
  • 2016-09-29T02:30:00Z: Seattle Sounders 1–0 Chicago Fire (Major League Soccer)
  • 2015-07-12T00:30:00Z: Chicago Fire 1–0 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer)
  • 2014-08-14T02:30:00Z: Seattle Sounders 6–0 Chicago Fire (US Open Cup)

The head to head history between Seattle Sounders and Chicago Fire is well balanced, with both sides enjoying notable wins. Recent meetings in MLS at Lumen Field have often gone Seattle’s way, including a 2–1 home victory in June 2024 and another 2–1 success in March 2020. Chicago have responded with home wins, such as 1–0 in 2022 and 4–1 in 2017, while the standout scoreline in the list is Seattle’s emphatic 6–0 US Open Cup win in 2014.

Team news & absences

Seattle Sounders face this game with a lengthy injury and suspension list. The following players are ruled out as Missing Fixture: P. Arriola (Calf Injury), H. Dotson (Muscle Injury), J. Ferreira (Injury), Y. Gomez Andrade (Muscle Injury), P. Kingston (Yellow Cards), J. Morris (Muscle Injury), N. Petkovic (Knee Injury), J. Ragen (Knee Injury) and P. de La Vega (Calf Injury). In addition, X. Gnaulati is listed as Questionable (Injury) for this fixture.

Chicago Fire also have absentees to manage. A. Franco (Knee Injury), M. Mbokazi (Lower-Body Injury) and C. Mueller (Inactive) are all marked as Missing Fixture for this trip to Seattle. These team news and injuries updates could significantly shape both starting line-ups.

Key players to watch

  • H. Cuypers (Chicago Fire) — 13 goals in the 2026 MLS season, making him a major attacking threat for the visitors.
  • P. Zinckernagel (Chicago Fire) — 5 goals and 7 assists, a creative and goalscoring presence from midfield.
  • A. Rusnák (Seattle Sounders) — 3 goals and 6 assists, a key source of chances and end product for the home side.

Prediction

The data-led model leans towards the visitors in this Seattle Sounders vs Chicago Fire prediction. The probabilities give 10% for a home win, 45% for a draw and 45% for an away victory. The recommended advice is a “Double chance: draw or Chicago Fire”, reflecting Chicago’s stronger overall form and higher conference position, balanced against Seattle’s home advantage and historically competitive head-to-head record at Lumen Field.

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