Verified: November 14, 2026, 2:02 p.m. UTC
Chicago Fire FC will host Charlotte FC in Game 1 of their Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Round One series on Sunday, November 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Central Time (UTC−06:00) at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, or 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time (UTC−05:00). The matchup pairs the conference’s No. 4 seed, Chicago, with No. 5 Charlotte in a best-of-three series. The match is upcoming; no result is available.
MLS lists the game for Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN, and RDS. Chicago earned home-field advantage for the series with its fourth-place finish. The teams are due to meet again in Charlotte on November 28, with a third match in Bridgeview on December 2 if needed.
The clubs open Round One at SeatGeek Stadium, Chicago’s home venue in Bridgeview. The announced start time is 5:30 p.m. Central on Sunday, November 22. Illinois observes Central Standard Time on that date, UTC−06:00; the corresponding Eastern time is 6:30 p.m. EST, UTC−05:00. The listed UTC start is 11:30 p.m. (23:30) on November 22.
MLS and Chicago Fire FC both published the schedule. The Fire’s announcement confirms that the club finished fourth in the Eastern Conference and will host the first match. Chicago Fire FC’s series schedule gives the Bridgeview venue and the 5:30 p.m. Central start. The league’s Round One schedule and broadcast announcement lists the 6:30 p.m. Eastern time and networks.
The series is decided when one team wins two matches. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday, November 28, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The league lists Game 2 for 12:30 p.m. Eastern (11:30 a.m. Central). If the teams split the first two games, Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday, December 2, at SeatGeek Stadium; the start time is listed as to be determined.
Chicago’s higher seed brings the opening match and, if required, the deciding match to Bridgeview. That creates a clear near-term priority for the Fire: use the home opener to take an early series lead. Charlotte can answer in front of its home crowd in Game 2. These are series implications based on the published format and schedule, not predictions about the result.
MLS lists Apple TV for every playoff match, with this Game 1 also scheduled for FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN, and RDS. Coverage availability can vary by market and service, so viewers should check their local listings and streaming access before kickoff. Chicago Fire’s announcement also lists local radio coverage on WLS 890 AM in English and TUDN Chicago 106.7-HD2 in Spanish.
Seedings establish the stakes, but they do not determine how the series plays out. Chicago’s home advantage is confirmed; the teams’ form, lineups, injuries, and tactical choices closer to kickoff will shape the actual contest. MLS’s playoff preview identifies Chicago forward Robert Lewandowski as a major attacking figure and Charlotte playmaker Pep Biel as a central creative threat. Those profiles offer useful names to follow, but they are not guarantees of selection or performance.
The format also changes the risk calculation. A win gives either side the chance to close the series in Game 2; a loss leaves the team needing to respond in the next match. If the opener is level after regulation, MLS playoff rules send the game directly to a penalty shootout, according to the league’s format explainer. There is no extra time in this round’s matches.
Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT (UTC−06:00) / 6:30 p.m. ET (UTC−05:00) on November 22.
At SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois.
No. It is Game 1 of a best-of-three series; the first team to win twice advances.
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