Let the Good Times Roll | Materials of The Match: Charlotte FC at Chicago Fire

After a star-studded midweek matchup between the MLS All-Stars and the Liga MX All-Stars at Bank of America Stadium, it's time to get back to the MLS regular season one last time before Leagues Cup kicks off next week.

Next up for CLTFC? A trip to the Windy City to take on Chicago Fire FC. Kickoff at Soldier Field is set for 8:30 p.m. ET, and fans can tune in to Apple TV to catch all the action.

Let’s look at the Materials of the Match presented by Rubbermaid to see how The Crown can continue its undefeated streak:

Let the Good Times Roll

Don’t look now, but The Crown is currently on a four-match unbeaten run dating back to the Club’s matches ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup break in May. After picking up 10 of 12 available points, Charlotte FC has put itself in prime position to climb back into the top four of the Eastern Conference table, sitting just one point behind this weekend’s opponent. With teams continuing to rebuild momentum and get their legs back under them following the break, The Crown has already gotten the ball rolling and ready for the second half of the season.

O’ Captain, My Captain

Charlotte FC’s captain Ashley Westwood has had a big week, scoring The Crown’s second goal against RBNY before participating in the MLS All-Star Game at Bank of America Stadium on Wednesday night. The midfielder’s game has aged like fine wine, accumulating the second-most goal contributions for The Crown this season with nine (2G+6A), only behind Pep Biel’s 15. Charlotte remains undefeated all-time when the Englishman scores, going 7W-0L-1D, and has won all contests when doing so under Head Coach Dean Smith (7W).

Scouting Report

With MLS All-Star in town this week, Charlotte’s gaffer Dean Smith got an up-close look at what to expect this weekend when coaching Chicago midfielder Phillip Zinckernagel. The Danish standout is a well-rounded attacking threat, having tallied five goals and seven assists through 2026, adding on to his 15G+15A in the 2025 campaign. While he can create for himself, a newer challenge for those up against the Fire is legendary striker Robert Lewandowski, who is seventh in the all-time goals scored list with nearly 700 goals across all competitions. The backline will need to be on high alert for the former FC Bayern and Barcelona attacker and close down any spaces he gets in the box, as he will be quick to fire off a dangerous chance as soon as he finds the opportunity.