Lewandowski agrees with Chicago Fire and could debut in July

Robert Lewandowski is one step away from swapping European football for the MLS. The Polish striker and Chicago Fire are finalising the details of a deal that should be made official soon, with a presentation expected for the first half of July, when the championship resumes after the break for the 2026 World Cup.

Negotiation in the final stretch

Talks between the parties have entered the decisive phase. Barring an unexpected twist, the centre-forward will arrive in American football as a free agent after the end of his contract with Barcelona, at the close of the 2025-26 season. There will be no transfer fee: the Catalan club will simply lose the player without receiving anything in return.

At the Camp Nou, Lewandowski leaves a respectable résumé: three La Liga titles, plus an even vaster career in Germany – ten Bundesligas combining Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, plus the 2020 UEFA Champions League, won against Paris Saint-Germain.

Berhalter’s project and the Fire’s context

The man who opened Chicago’s doors to the Pole was coach Gregg Berhalter, who never hid his interest. “We are trying to sign world-class players. Lewandowski would be an incredible signing, not only for Chicago Fire, but for the entire MLS. I put him on the same level as Messi for the quality he brings,” said the coach.

Berhalter has reasons to dream big. In 2025, he took the Fire back to the playoffs after eight years away. Now, the club sits third in the Eastern Conference, with 26 points in 14 rounds, behind only Nashville SC and Inter Miami. The arrival of a striker of Lewandowski’s calibre would be the next step in this rebuild.

The duel the MLS is already awaiting

If everything is confirmed, the calendar already holds a historic clash: on 22 July, Inter Miami host Chicago Fire in Florida. It would be the first duel between Lewandowski and Lionel Messi on American soil – two of the greatest scorers in football history, now in the same league. For the MLS, which is living a cycle of expansion and global visibility, this kind of match is worth gold.