Related Midwest and Chicago Fire detail stadium plans at The 78

Related Midwest and the Chicago Fire have revealed additional details for the planned Chicago Fire stadium set to anchor the $8 billion The 78 megadevelopment in the South Loop. Located just south of W. Roosevelt Rd along the South Branch of the Chicago River, the 62-acre site has been envisioned for a large redevelopment for years. 

Designed by Gensler, the stadium has been designed to be authentic to Chicago, reflecting the rich industrial heritage of the city with a brick facade that incorporates steel and glass. An exposed steel canopy over the seating bowl will help enhance the intimacy of Fire matches by directing light and crowd noise back to the pitch, creating an environment that will enhance the Fire’s home-field advantage.

The bowl is designed to prioritize the match viewing experience with seating positions that are dramatically lower and closer to the action. The stadium will feature a variety of best-in-class hospitality spaces, amenities, and premium seating options across multiple tiers with 50 suites, more than 500 Loge seats, and 3,500 Club seats, including some with access to exclusive clubs-within-clubs. A dedicated supporter section will be built at the core of the stadium, purpose-built to be loud with room for approximately 2,000 die-hard fans on safe-standing bleachers.

As an anchor for The 78, the Chicago Fire stadium will help kickstart the megadevelopment. The surrounding masterplan for the project has been designed to accommodate a variety of experiences to balance everyday life with the spectacle and destination of major events at the stadium anchoring the project. 

The north end of the site has been designed as an entry district leading visitors towards the stadium through a neighborhood character with midrise and highrise buildings. The area south of the stadium will be a largely residential district with residential buildings and pocket parks. Near the rail tracks at the far south end of the site will be a large green space dubbed the Wilds to provide open space. 

The site will have a large river district along the riverfront with influence of all districts of the over site acting as a dynamic area with gathering and social spaces. The riverwalk along the site will include a connection down to Ping Tom Park and eventually to the north to link to the rest of the riverwalk. 

Set to be privately financed by Chicago Fire FC owner Joe Mansueto, the $650 million stadium is targeted to begin construction by early 2026 with opening set for the 2028 MLS Regular Season. Planned as Phase 1 buildout of the site, at the time of the opening in 2028, the stadium will be connected to Roosevelt Rd with a two-story parking structure set to hold 1,220 parking spaces topped by public spaces and a community plaza at the primary entry to the stadium on its north side. Future mixed-use developments will fill in around the stadium and replace some temporary parking and activated spaces.