Sports in Chicago facts for kids

Sports in Chicago are a big deal! Chicago is one of only eleven cities in the United States that has teams in all five major professional sports: baseball, football, basketball, hockey, and soccer. Sporting News magazine has even called Chicago the "Best Sports City" three times (in 1993, 2006, and 2010).

Chicago has also hosted many important sports events. It was a city hoping to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, but Rio de Janeiro was chosen instead. The city did host the 1959 Pan American Games and the 2006 Gay Games. Chicago was also the first city to host the 1968 Special Olympics Summer World Games and hosted them again in 1970. In 2017, Chicago welcomed the Warrior Games.

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  Wrigley Field is the home of the Chicago Cubs.
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  A soccer game at Soldier Field, home to the Chicago Bears (NFL) and Chicago Fire FC (MLS).

Chicago's Top Sports Teams

Chicago is home to many professional teams that play in the biggest leagues. Here's a look at some of them:

Soccer Teams in Chicago

Section 8 fans at a Chicago Fire FC game in Bridgeview, Illinois.

Chicago has a long history with soccer. One of the earliest teams was Chicago Sparta, started in 1917. They won several league titles and the National Challenge Cup twice. Later, the Chicago Falcons also won the National Challenge Cup in 1953.

The Chicago Sting played in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1975 to 1984. They played their games at different stadiums like Soldier Field and Wrigley Field. The Sting won the Soccer Bowl championship twice, in 1981 and 1984. They were one of the most successful teams in that league!

Today, Chicago's main professional soccer team is Chicago Fire FC, which plays in Major League Soccer (MLS). They joined the league in 1998 and won the MLS Cup in their very first season! They have also won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup four times. The Fire used to play at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, but now they play at Soldier Field. Famous players like Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Bastian Schweinsteiger have played for the Fire. The team's name comes from the famous Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Chicago is also home to the Chicago Red Stars, a women's professional soccer team in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). They also play at SeatGeek Stadium.

Baseball Teams in Chicago

Chicago is special because it's one of only four cities in the U.S. that has two Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. The two teams are the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox. Chicago is the only city that has had two MLB teams every year since 1901!

The Cubs play at Wrigley Field on the North Side of Chicago. They are one of the oldest baseball teams and have played in Chicago since 1871. The White Sox play at Guaranteed Rate Field on the South Side. They have been playing in Chicago since 1901.

Guaranteed Rate Field has been the home of the Chicago White Sox since 1991.

The Cubs have a big rivalry with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs have won three World Series titles. In 2016, they won the World Series for the first time in 108 years, which was one of the longest waits in sports history!

The White Sox have also won three World Series titles (in 1906, 1917, and 2005). They have played all their home games on the South Side of Chicago since 1901.

Basketball Teams in Chicago

The United Center is the home of the NBA's Bulls and NHL's Blackhawks.

The Chicago Bulls are the city's professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Bulls are famous for winning six NBA championships in the 1990s. Led by amazing players like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, they won three titles in a row from 1991 to 1993, and then three more from 1996 to 1998! In 2011, with star player Derrick Rose, the Bulls made it to the Eastern Finals.

Chicago is also home to the Chicago Sky, a women's professional basketball team in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Chicago Sky won their first WNBA Championship in 2021!

American Football in Chicago

Soldier Field is the home of the Bears (NFL) and Chicago Fire FC (MLS).

The Chicago Bears play American football in the National Football League (NFL) at Soldier Field. The Bears are one of the oldest teams in the NFL, started in 1919 by owner George Halas. Many legendary players like Walter Payton and Dick Butkus have played for the Bears. They have the most players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (26!).

In 1985, the Bears had an incredible season and won Super Bowl XX. They also made it to the Super Bowl again in 2006. The Bears have a very strong rivalry with the Green Bay Packers, which has been going on since the 1920s! They also have rivalries with the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.

Soldier Field, where the Bears play, is located right by Lake Michigan. It was renovated in 2003 to make it a better place for fans to watch games.

Ice Hockey in Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks are Chicago's professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). They are one of the "Original Six" teams that started the NHL. The Blackhawks have won the Stanley Cup championship six times (in 1934, 1938, 1961, 2010, 2013, and 2015).

The Blackhawks have exciting rivalries with teams like the Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks, and St. Louis Blues. Many famous hockey players have played for the Blackhawks, including Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull, and more recently, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

Major Professional Championships Won by Chicago Teams

Chicago teams have won many championships over the years!

Chicago Bears (NFL)

• 1 Super Bowl title: 1985 (Super Bowl XX)
• 8 NFL championships (before the Super Bowl era): 1921, 1932, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1963

Chicago Cardinals (NFL)

• 2 NFL championships (before the Super Bowl era): 1925, 1947

Chicago Cubs (MLB)

• 3 World Series titles: 1907, 1908, 2016

Chicago White Sox (MLB)

• 3 World Series titles: 1906, 1917, 2005

Chicago American Giants (Negro National League)

• 2 Negro World Series titles: 1926, 1927

Chicago Sting (NASL)

• 2 Soccer Bowl titles: 1981, 1984

Chicago Fire F.C. (MLS)

• 1 MLS Cup title: 1998

Chicago Bulls (NBA)

• 6 NBA Finals titles: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998

Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

• 6 Stanley Cup titles: 1934, 1938, 1961, 2010, 2013, 2015

Chicago Sky (WNBA)

• 1 WNBA Championship: 2021

Other Sports in Chicago

Chicago is also home to other exciting sports and events.

Rugby

The Chicago Hounds are Chicago's team in Major League Rugby, starting in 2023 at SeatGeek Stadium. There are also local rugby clubs like the Chicago Griffins and Chicago Lions.

In 2016, Soldier Field hosted a historic rugby union match where the Irish team beat the New Zealand All Blacks for the very first time!

Professional Wrestling

Chicago has hosted many big professional wrestling events, including WWE's WrestleMania 22. Famous wrestler CM Punk is from Chicago. In 2018, the suburb of Hoffman Estates hosted "All In," a huge wrestling event that led to the creation of All Elite Wrestling (AEW). AEW has also held major shows in Chicago, including CM Punk's return to wrestling in 2021.

Boat Racing

Every July, the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac takes place. It's a 333-mile boat race that starts near Navy Pier and goes to Mackinac Island. It's the oldest yearly freshwater distance race in the world!

Roller Derby

Chicago has two all-female roller derby leagues: Chicago Outfit Roller Derby and Windy City Rollers. The Windy City Rollers are one of the top teams in the world and hosted the WFTDA Championship in 2010.

College Sports in Chicago

The Chicago area has several NCAA Division I college sports programs. These include the DePaul Blue Demons, Loyola Ramblers, Chicago State Cougars, and UIC Flames, all within the city. The Northwestern Wildcats and Northern Illinois Huskies are also nearby. Northwestern is the only "Power Five" school in the Chicago area, meaning it's part of one of the biggest college sports conferences.

Even though the Illinois Fighting Illini are two hours south, they have a huge fan base in Chicago. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, located in Indiana, also has many fans in the Chicago area. The main office for the Big Ten Conference, a major college sports league, is in Rosemont, a Chicago suburb.

Motorsports in the Area

A view of Chicagoland Speedway.

The Chicagoland Speedway is located in Joliet, Illinois, near Chicago. This track used to host big NASCAR races. However, since 2020, NASCAR races are no longer held there.

Also in Joliet is the Route 66 Raceway, which hosts exciting drag racing events.

Sports Rivalries

Chicago teams have many exciting rivalries with teams from other cities!

Detroit

Because Chicago and Detroit are close, their teams often have strong rivalries in football (Bears vs. Lions), basketball (Bulls vs. Pistons), hockey (Blackhawks vs. Red Wings), and baseball (White Sox vs. Tigers).

Milwaukee/Wisconsin

Chicago also has rivalries with teams from Milwaukee and Wisconsin. The most famous is the football rivalry between the Bears and the Green Bay Packers. The Cubs also have a rivalry with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Minnesota

Chicago teams have rivalries with teams from Minnesota, including the Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings in football, White Sox vs. Minnesota Twins in baseball, and Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild in hockey.

St. Louis

A big rivalry exists between Chicago and St. Louis, especially in baseball with the Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals. This rivalry also extends to hockey (Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues).

New York City

Chicago and New York City teams also have rivalries, such as the Bears vs. New York Giants in football and the Bulls vs. New York Knicks in basketball.

Images for kids

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  Kit of the Chicago Sting, a soccer team that played from 1975 to 1984.