The 2023 MLS season returns to action this weekend after a mid-season break, with Chicago Fire taking on Orlando City at Soldier Field on Sunday night.
The Fire come into this game off the back of a disappointing Leagues Cup campaign, which came to an end at the round of 32 stage as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Mexican outfit Club America. They kicked off the 2023 Leagues Cup campaign with an narrow 3-2 win over Minnesota United, four days before playing out a 1-1 draw with Puebla to top their group.
Currently in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, they will be hoping that they can pick their season up right where they left off, having won five of their previous six MLS matches, making them one of the most in-form team in the league since the June international break. Their only defeat during that run came in Orlando, and the Fire will be aiming for vengeance on their home soil.
Orlando, for their part, have also had a lengthy break with their Leagues Cup campaign coming to an end in the Round of 32 at the hands of eventual winners Inter Miami, and they will want to start the final stretch of the regular season on a positive note.
The Lions will resume their MLS campaign in fifth place with 37 points after 23 matches, which puts them in pole position to secure a final series qualification spot barring a collapse from here on.
Here GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Chicago vs Orlando kick-off time
| Date: | August 20, 2023 |
| Kick-off time: | 8:30 pm ET/ 5:30 pm PT |
| Venue: | Soldier Field |
Chicago Fire will face Orlando City in MLS action at Soldier Field on Sunday. Kick off is scheduled for 8:30 pm Eastern Time (ET)/ 5:30 pm Pacific Time (PT).
How to watch Chicago vs Orlando online - TV channels & live streams
 | Apple TV | Watch here |
The game will be broadcast on Apple TV in the United States. An MLS Season Pass subscription is required in order to watch.
Team news & squads
Chicago team news
Fire Head Coach Frank Klopas will be without the services of Chris Mueller (hip) and Javier Casas (shoulder), who are both sidelined with respective injury problems. Chris Brady has been ruled out with a lower right leg injury, while Rafael Czichos is suspended due to Yellow Card Accumulation.
With Federico Navarro fully recovered, Klopas now has several option for the double pivot in his preferred 4-2-3-1. Ousmane Doumbia was excellent in the Leagues Cup, and he could keep his spot in MLS action. Alongside him, Gaston Gimenez is also in fine form and has a blossoming chemistry alongside box-to-box Doumbia, so Navarro may have to contend with a spot on the bench.
In attack, Xherdan Shaqiri will reprise his No. 10 role, with Brian Gutierrez on the left wing, and the speedy Maren Haile-Selassie starting on the right. At striker, Georgios Koutsias is steadily becoming Klopas first-choice option and will likely spearhead the offensive line here.
Chicago Fire predicted XI:Brady; Dean, Pineda, Teran, M. Navarro; Doumbia, Gimenez; Haile-Selassie, Shaqiri, Gutierrez; Koutsias
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Gal, Brady |
| Defenders: | Souquet, M. Navarro, Ornsberg, Teran, Dean, Burks, Reynolds, Pineda |
| Midfielders: | Haile-Selassie, Gutierrez, Herbers, Gimenez, Oregel, Pineda, A. Rodriguez, Torres, Shaqiri, F. Navarro |
| Forwards: | Kamara, M. Rodriguez, Koutsias |
Orlando team news
Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja will be unable to call upon the services of Argentine playmaker Gaston Gonzalez (thigh), while Mikey Halliday and Junior Urso are significant doubts ahead of the trip to Chicago.
Duncan McGuire is likely to be Orlando's starting striker, having scored eight goals from just nine starts in the MLS. Wingers Ivan Angulo and Facundo Torres are capable of breaking down lines quickly, creating overloads, and churning out scoring possibilities off rapid transitions, while attacking midfielder Mauricio Pereyra is adept at linking defense with attack.
Orlando predicted XI:Gallese; Smith, Carlos, Jansson, Santos; Araujo, Cartagena; Torres, Pereyra, Angulo; McGuire
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Gallese, Stajduhar, Otero |
| Defenders: | Schlegel, Carlos, Jansson, Williams, Petrasso, Santos, Smith, Freeman |
| Midfielders: | Cartagena, Juninho, Martins, Thorhallsson, Granados, Pereyra, Loyola, Ojeda, Angulo, Torres, Mohammed, Araujo |
| Forwards: | Kara, Enrique, McGuire, Lynn |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 2/7/23 | Orlando City 3-1 Chicago Fire | MLS |
| 9/4/22 | Orlando City 1-0 Chicago Fire | MLS |
| 5/3/22 | Chicago Fire 0-0 Orlando City | MLS |
| 22/8/21 | Orlando City 1-0 Chicago Fire | MLS |
| 8/7/21 | Chicago Fire 3-1 Orlando City | MLS |