Chicago Red Stars players will pack their peanuts and cracker jacks alongside their soccer cleats when they host Bay FC at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL. The major league ballpark will welcome the two teams to the Friendly Confines on June 8, in the first-ever women's professional soccer match played at the iconic Chicago landmark, home of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs.
The Red Stars franchise is operating under a new ownership group led by Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts. The new setting for the previously scheduled match is an early look at resources investors are putting into the team, and an attempt to make the Red Stars game more accessible to Chicagoans.
"We're thrilled to welcome the Chicago Red Stars to Wrigley Field," said Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney. "This is a historic first for both organizations. We're proud to join forces with the Red Stars to bring this event to life for the players, fans and our city."
The Red Stars are currently undefeated in their first three games of the NWSL regular season and sitting in second place in the 14-team table, a quick turnaround from their last-place finish in 2023.
"Playing at Wrigley Field will be the event that fans of the Red Stars, Cubs and Chicago sports won't want to miss," said Chicago Red Stars President Karen Leetzow. "On behalf of the Red Stars, I'd like to thank the Cubs for inviting us to Wrigley Field and giving these elite athletes the stage they deserve. We look forward to representing our great city and showing Chicago fans and the country how talented this club is and the intense level of competition that exists on the pitch every week in the NWSL and in Chicago's backyard."
The Red Stars announcement may have brought up old memories of narrow fields on soccer stadiums in the past, but this will be the first-ever NWSL match played on an MLB pitch.
Previous games were held on minor league-affiliated baseball pitches and were a prior point of contention for NWSL clubs. Former NWSL club Western New York Flash hosted Seattle Reign FC at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY and the two teams played on a very narrow field, and goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer left the match injured.
Seattle Reign FC played a few seasons at Cheney Field in Tacoma, WA which also served as the home for Triple-A baseball Tacoma Rainiers and USL Championship's Tacoma Defiance. They now play games at NFL's Lumen Field. Playing conditions were a key negotiation point in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NWSL Players Association and the NWSL. Cheney Field conditions were 110 yards by 70 yards, meeting FIFA requirements at that time.
FIFA pitch recommendations state playing fields are 74 yards wide and 115 yards long. A Red Stars spokesperson confirmed to CBS Sports that the field layout will be announced in the future and that the club involved the NWSL PA in player approval before making any final decisions for a match at Wrigley Field.
"Wrigley Field is one of the most iconic sports venues in the country. This is a unique opportunity for us to bring further visibility to our team and women's soccer," said Red Stars team captain, Alyssa Naeher. "Chicago has always been an incredible sports town with such a rich history; I can't wait to compete on the field, under the lights, in front of our dedicated Chicago fans from every part of the city!"
