The Fire are officially back at Soldier Field.
The long-expected announcement came Tuesday at the lakefront stadium. With Mayor Lori Lightfoot, owner Joe Mansueto, MLS Commissioner Don Garber and former players such as Mike Magee in attendance, the Fire formally returned to its first home.
Not that there was any mystery to the announcement, Mansueto took out a full-page ad in Tuesday’s Sun-Times, writing a letter to the city announcing the Fire’s shift.
The announcement comes on Oct. 8, the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire (1871) and the team’s founding (1997).
“On this anniversary of both the Great Chicago Fire and the founding of our team, my goal is to deliver a world-class club worthy of our city and one that represents all of Chicago — our neighborhoods, our people and our spirit,” Mansueto wrote.
But the team’s star midfielder, Bastian Schweinsteiger, won’t be joining them. He announced his retirement earlier Tuesday.
This story will be updated.
