Orlando City SC at Chicago Fire FC | Wednesday, October 28, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT / 8:30 PM ET | Soldier Field, Chicago | Apple TV
I picked the Fire to beat Atlanta on Saturday, 2-1. We won 3-2, so I had the winner and was a goal off on the score. Anton Salétros and Anzor Mekvabishvili scored, and so did Philip Zinckernagel, on what OnTap Sports Net described as an indirect free kick. It was the Fire’s first win at Atlanta’s stadium, and it ended a two-game losing streak.
The playoff spot was already sealed, so Wednesday is about two things: finishing as high as possible in the East and stopping an Orlando team that is in a dogfight for its season. Add a suspension-hit back line and the Fire have a lot to manage on a midweek night.
Game Info: Orlando City at Chicago Fire
- Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
- Kickoff: 7:30 PM CT / 8:30 PM ET
- Venue: Soldier Field, Chicago
- TV: Apple TV. Radio: WLS 890 AM (English) and TUDN Chicago 106.7-HD2 (Spanish)
- Standings: Fire 15W-6D-10L, 51 points, fourth in the East. Orlando 12W-6D-13L, 42 points, seventh. The two sources I used wrote the records in different orders, so I confirmed them by points
- Odds: I couldn’t find a sportsbook line, so I’m not quoting one
What’s at Stake
Chicago has already clinched a playoff berth, and its 51 points mark back-to-back 50-point seasons for the first time since 2000 and 2001, according to OnTap. The top four get a home playoff game, so every point still matters.
Orlando is the team under pressure. It is level with FC Cincinnati on 42 points and holds the tiebreaker, and Yardbarker reports that an Orlando win plus a Columbus loss to FC Dallas would clinch a playoff spot. Orlando is unbeaten in four (2-0-2), is four points behind sixth-place Philadelphia and drew 2-2 with NYCFC at home last time out.
Who’s Available for Chicago
This is where it gets tricky.
- Suspended: Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Dje D’Avilla, both for yellow-card accumulation, per OnTap. Reports earlier this season said Mbokazi was injured, so confirm his status.
- Back: Captain Jack Elliott returns after missing two matches (the red card against Philadelphia and a card accumulation ban). He is expected to partner new signing Andreas Hanche-Olsen, who haven’t played together in a competitive match, per OnTap.
- Out: Robin Lod and Sam Rogers.
- Questionable: André Franco, on his first availability report since tearing his ACL in September 2025. If he plays, it would be off the bench.
That is a lot of reshuffling on the back line, and it’s a good reason to treat Wednesday as dangerous.
- Who scores: Maren Haile-Selassie leads the Fire with 11 goals and is tied with Zinckernagel for the team lead with 10 assists.
- Last time: The Fire won 2-1 at Orlando in August on goals from Puso Dithejane and Robert Lewandowski, per OnTap. Chicago has won three of its last four against Orlando.
Orlando City: Griezmann, and a Thin Back Line
- Antoine Griezmann has five goals and two assists since joining this summer, and OnTap’s Steve Cangialosi says he “makes everyone around him better,” including Martín Ojeda.
- Defense: Robin Jansson, whom Cangialosi called the back line’s “glue,” is out. Starting11 also lists Spicer and Dorsey as injured, Atuesta as suspended, and Goncalves and Nogueira as doubtful. I couldn’t confirm that on a second source.
Cangialosi expects goals at both ends.
The Matchups That Matter
Haile-Selassie and Zinckernagel against a depleted Orlando back line. Orlando is missing Jansson and possibly more. Chicago’s two best creators are the ones to exploit it.
Elliott and Hanche-Olsen against Griezmann. The Fire’s new center back pairing will face one of the most skilled attackers in the league, and they haven’t played together in a competitive match. That’s my biggest worry.
The early goal. OnTap says the Fire want an early lead so the bench can get minutes before the weekend trip to Colorado. Orlando needs a result, so if Chicago scores first, the visitors have to open up.
Set pieces and discipline. Two Fire players are already out on card accumulation. I’d rather not add a red card to that.
Rotation. The Fire play at Colorado on Saturday, Oct. 31 (8:30 PM CT), so the staff has a decision to make about minutes. Some of Wednesday’s choices will be driven by that trip.
What Actually Decides It
The market has no line I can find, so I’ll go with what I can see. Orlando needs the points, has Griezmann and is unbeaten in four. The Fire have the better record, a home crowd and a team that just won in Atlanta without its captain, Elliott.
The risk is the back line. A center back pairing with no competitive minutes together, against a motivated opponent with a superstar, is how a team ends up losing a night it should win. But Orlando is also missing key defenders, and the Fire’s attackers are playing well.
I’ll take Chicago in a game with goals at both ends.
My Final Score Prediction: Chicago Fire 2, Orlando City 1
That should be a win Today. Let´s go Fire!
The post Fire FC vs. Orlando City SC Prediction Game October 28th: A Back Line Held Together With Tape, and an Opponent With Everything to Play For appeared first on UrbanMatter.
