Charlotte FC vs. Chicago Fire: A former USMNT star will be honored before the match

A week-long homestand concludes this weekend, and Charlotte FC hopes it ends on a bang.

MLS’s newest expansion team is set to take on Chicago Fire (7-10-6) at Bank of America Stadium at 7:08 p.m. on Saturday. CFC (9-12-2) hopes to continue its prowess at home and continue its rise up the MLS Eastern Conference standings.

The last two times fans have been in The Bank have been... noteworthy: A week ago, the team endured four hours of inclement weather delays and only 16 minutes of play against Columbus Crew before the game was postponed to a later date. (The contest has since been rescheduled for October.)

And then on Wednesday, Charlotte FC avenged its inaugural loss and defeated D.C. United — proving how far it had come since it had lost its first all-time regular season match.

It’s worth noting that those on-hand will be able to see Clint Dempsey. The former U.S. Men’s National Team star will sit on the throne near the supporters section and be honored prior to the game at CFC’s pre-match “coronation.”

Here’s what else you need to know.

Current MLS standings

Here are the MLS Eastern Conference standings as of Tuesday evening. Only the top-seven teams make the postseason. How points work: a win yields three points; a tie yields one point; a loss yields no points.

When and where is the Charlotte FC match?

When: 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6

Where: Bank of America Stadium

Opponent: Chicago Fire (7-10-6)

Charlotte FC vs. Chicago Fire betting odds

Per Oddspedia, Charlotte FC is +128 to win, +250 to draw and +250 to lose.

How to watch the MLS match?

• Charlotte: WAXN
• Raleigh/Durham: WNGT
• Columbia: WACH-D2
• Greenville/Asheville/Spartanburg: WLOS-D2
• Streaming: CLTFC Live at www.charlottefootballclub.com/live or via the Charlotte FC app (geo-restrictions apply)
  
  
• Local radio: WFNZ 610AM/92.7FM

Alex Zietlow

The Charlotte Observer

Alex Zietlow writes about the Carolina Panthers and the ways in which sports intersect with life for The Charlotte Observer, where he has been a reporter since August 2022. Zietlow’s work has been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association, the N.C. and S.C. Press Associations, as well as the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) group. He’s earned six APSE Top 10 distinctions for his coverage on a variety of topics, from billion-dollar stadium renovations to the small moments of triumph that helped a Panthers kicker defy the steepest odds in sports. Zietlow previously wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill (S.C.) from 2019-22. Support my work with a digital subscription