Overview
- Chicago Fire publicly announced the two-year contract on Monday, with the club saying the signing runs through the 2027–28 MLS season and that Lewandowski will occupy a Designated Player and international roster slot.
- The move is subject to routine administrative steps — the club must secure Lewandowski’s P-1 visa and an International Transfer Certificate — and the team will manage his fitness before selecting him for matches.
- If cleared and fit, Lewandowski could make his MLS debut as early as July 16 against the Vancouver Whitecaps, a timeline the club has described as conditional on his training load and paperwork.
- Chicago views the free transfer as a marquee acquisition that should lift attendance, sponsorship and the club’s ability to recruit other stars, with reports saying the Fire hope his arrival could help attract former Bayern teammate Leon Goretzka.
- The signing continues MLS’s recent strategy of bringing late-career global stars to the league and illustrates how the Designated Player mechanism lets clubs pay outside the league salary cap to add high-profile talent.