 | |||
| Founded | 2006 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium | SeatGeek Stadium Bridgeview, Illinois | ||
| Capacity | 20,000 | ||
| Majority owner | Laura Ricketts | ||
| Chairperson | Laura Ricketts | ||
| Head coach | Lorne Donaldson | ||
| League | National Women's Soccer League | ||
| 2024 | Regular season: 8th of 14 Playoffs: Quarter-final | ||
| Website | https://chicagoredstars.com/ | ||
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The Chicago Red Stars, also known as the Chicago Stars Football Club (Chicago Stars FC or just Chicago Stars), are a professional women's soccer club based in Bridgeview, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. A founding member of the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league, they have played in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) since 2013.
WPS was the NWSL's predecessor as the professional women's soccer league in the United States, and the Red Stars played in the WPS in 2009 and 2010. After leaving the WPS in December 2010 due to the club's financial issues, the club joined the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) for the 2011 season.[1] In 2012, the Red Stars co-founded and played in Women's Premier Soccer League Elite (WPSL-E): a one-year league which bridged the WPS and the NWSL. The club became a founding member of the NWSL, which was financially supported by U.S. Soccer, in 2012.
The Red Stars play their home games at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. In October 2022, they held the record for the longest active playoff streak (2015–2022) in the NWSL.
It was announced on August 15, 2023 that a group of Chicago business leaders led by Laura Ricketts had agreed in principle to purchase the Chicago Red Stars.[2] On September 1, 2023, it was announced that the club had been acquired for $60 million by the group led by Ricketts.[3]
On October 23, 2024 the team announced a name change to "Chicago Stars Football Club", dropping "Red" and adding "Football Club", to take effect during the 2024–25 offseason.[4]
- ^ Red Stars are Back! Joining WPSL for 2011, http://www.wpsl.info/news/index.php/?cat=1&id=1225 Archived October 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Neveau, James (August 15, 2023). "Chicago Red Stars sold to group led by Laura Ricketts". NBC Sports Chicago.
- ^ "Fortune Brands Acquires Emtek". Chicago Red Stars. September 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- ^ Yang, Steph. "Chicago Red Stars unveil new name and crest, dropping 'Red' and ushering in next chapter". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 23, 2024.