The Eastern Conference playoff race has been a tight battle for the Chicago Fire, with teams fighting back and forth, leaving no clear order in sight. It has been mostly the same nine teams fighting for spots, with Philadelphia and Cincinnati alternating the top two spots in the league.
One team that has been consistently in the same spot is the Chicago Fire. The Fire have gone most of the season as the nine seed while chasing the eight seed.
They could be on the path to make a run if the cards fall right. Last season, a team participated in the playoffs and made it to the MLS Cup Final.
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Chicago Fire Unlikely Playoff Run in the East
All depends on how the Chips fall
The Fire, unfortunately, are dependent on who they face in the play in the round. If they go against a team like Inter Miami, they will be in trouble due to the amount of talent that Inter has.
The Fire could take advantage of the Columbus team, which has mainly struggled over the past two months. They did earn a win on Saturday to boost them up the standings. If the Crew builds on that performance, they won’t fall back to the eight seed.
NYCFC and Orlando City are two teams that Chicago could defeat in a playoff game.
The Matchup is everything for Chicago. Last season, this was a team that was a bottom squad with not much direction forward. With a fired head coach and limited talent, it seemed as if the Fire wouldn’t be able to get back on track.
This season has been a different story. They haven’t been one of the top teams in the East, but they have been in the playoff race since the beginning. Their quality in play, as well as a solid team culture, has only gotten better from last year, considering what they have done this season.
They still have limited talent compared to the East as they are only in year one of the rebuild of the Chicago Fire.
A Playoff Loss Won’t Delay the Rebuild
Making the playoffs would be a huge boost for a club that has been down in the cellar for years, as no manager has been able to build culture.
Designated players have also struggled to make a big impact due to the roster being poorly constructed with no true vision in mind. This year, it has been different since Gregg Berhalter became manager after his time with the USMNT.
There were questions on what Berhalter could do with the Fire since his coaching ability was questioned due to his time as the national team coach.
Since becoming a coach at the start of this season, the Fire have improved in every way: better form, better players, and fan interest.
Though I can’t see a playoff run that would lead to an MLS Cup appearance, I could see them challenging the one seed in the first round. The Fire have been a fun and interesting team to follow due to their rise to the playoffs, coming as a surprise to all MLS fans, even fans of the Fire.
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Credit IMAGO / SOPA Images
Recording Date 26.07.2025