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The Chicago Fire have found their man, reportedly landing star striker Robert Lewandowski as the newest high-profile signing in MLS.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Polish forward will be officially introduced by the club within the next few days, completing his move to the U.S. top flight following a storied career across Europe.
The 37-year-old was absent from the 2026 World Cup with Poland after the nation was eliminated during the final stages of UEFA World Cup qualifying, and has spent much of the summer resting, with his last appearance coming in a friendly against Nigeria on June 3.
Driven by an ambitious push from owner Joe Mansueto, the Chicago Fire have been aggressively chasing a marquee signing for quite some time. In 2025, the club entered discussions with Brazilian icon Neymar, but failed to land him, and also made approaches toward Germany's Thomas Müller, who ultimately chose to sign with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
🚨💣 EXCLUSIVE: Robert Lewandowski to Chicago Fire, HERE WE GO! 🇺🇸
The Polish striker has agreed to join Chicago Fire after visiting the club and city two weeks ago.
Lewandowski will sign early next week, ready for new chapter in MLS.
Big move. 🔥🇵🇱 pic.twitter.com/JEKnCYyqRm
Lewandowski recently toured the Fire's training grounds, while also entertaining interest from the Saudi Pro League and various European clubs. Having netted 19 goals and contributed two assists last season with Barcelona, he is free to join any club as an unrestricted free agent.
"We're working to bring in world-class talent," Fire director of football and manager Gregg Berhalter said on the Up & Adams podcast in early June.
"We believe [Lewandowski would] be a tremendous signing not just for the Chicago Fire, but for the entire league, to have a player of that quality. We rank him right alongside [Lionel] Messi in terms of ability, and it would mean a great deal for the city of Chicago."
Lewandowski Boosts MLS Star Power
Lewandowski has long been on the radar of MLS clubs. Across his time with Bundesliga powerhouses FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, his stint at Barcelona, and his early days with Polish clubs Lech Poznan and Znicz Pruszkow, he has accumulated 629 goals and 159 assists across 869 professional outings.
On the international stage, he has found the net 88 times for Poland over 167 caps.
Now heading to MLS, he will join a growing list of global stars including Inter Miami's Lionel Messi, Vancouver's Müller, LAFC's Hugo Lloris and Son Heung-min, San Jose Earthquakes' Timo Werner, and several others. As a mid-summer arrival, he will also enter the league around the same time as Antoine Griezmann, who is set to join Orlando City following the World Cup.
How Lewandowski Fits the Fire
Though he may be in the later stages of his career, Lewandowski still transforms the outlook for the Chicago Fire. In recent months, Berhalter has tested a two-striker formation, which could work well for both Lewandowski and current standout forward Hugo Cuypers.
Out wide, Jonathan Bamba and Philip Zinckernagel remain integral parts of the setup, while South African center back Mbekezeli Mbokazi has anchored the defensive unit, ahead of USMNT third-choice goalkeeper and Fire standout Chris Brady.
"He has every chance to become a major star in America," Berhalter told Mateusz Skwierawski. "This country is ready for him. He has had an extraordinary career, and this could be the next great challenge in his remarkable journey."
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During negotiations with Lewandowski, Chicago not only presented a contract offer spanning two to three years but also outlined the club's vision in detail. "We discussed his role and how he could contribute to winning a championship," Berhalter added. "I think the most important thing is that we showed him everything we can offer him here in Chicago."
The earliest possible date for Lewandowski's MLS debut would be July 16 against Müller's Whitecaps, where he could begin helping Chicago build on their current third-place standing in the Eastern Conference.