Chicago Fire FC at Colorado Rapids | Saturday, October 31, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT / 9:30 PM ET / 7:30 PM MT | DICK’S Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colorado | Apple TV
I picked the Fire to beat Orlando on Wednesday, 2-1. We drew 2-2. I had the Fire scoring twice and was wrong about the winner, which is the kind of near-miss that stings a little because we took 21 shots and hit the post. Orlando scored on a sixth-minute goal by Angulo and a Griezmann strike in the 35th, and Jonathan Bamba and Maren Haile-Selassie rescued the point after halftime.
So the Fire head west at 15W-7D-10L, 52 points, and fourth in the East, to play a Rapids team that needs a result at home just as badly as we need to avoid slipping. It’s Halloween, it’s altitude and it’s the Rapids’ last home game of the regular season.
Game Info: Fire at Rapids
- Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
- Kickoff: 8:30 PM CT / 9:30 PM ET / 7:30 PM MT. The Fire announced the time change back in January, and the Rapids’ own release says 7:30 PM MT
- Venue: DICK’S Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colorado
- Broadcast: Apple TV (English: Christian Miles and Kacey White; Spanish: Raúl Guzmán). Radio: wlsam.com and TUDN Chicago 106.7-HD2
- Standings: Fire 15W-7D-10L, 52 points, fourth in the East. Rapids 12W-7D-13L, 43 points, seventh in the West
- Odds: I couldn’t find a sportsbook line for this game
What the Rapids Need
This is Fan Appreciation Night, and the Rapids are chasing a playoff berth for the second time in three seasons. According to Colorado’s own preview, a win clinches a spot if any one of these happens: Portland loses or draws at Houston, Seattle loses at Vancouver, or Salt Lake loses at San Jose while the LA Galaxy lose or draw against Austin. A draw clinches only in a narrower set of cases, all involving Portland losing to Houston.
That makes this a nervy night for a team that has been good at home. Colorado has a 10-match home unbeaten run (7-0-3 since the schedule resumed in July) and is unbeaten in five overall. It beat Western Conference leader Vancouver last Saturday, then drew 2-2 at San Jose on Wednesday after both teams got red cards. Morgan Whittaker and Darren Yapi scored in that game, and Whittaker has scored in consecutive matches.
What Happened Against Orlando
The Fire did a lot right in a draw. The Mane Land counted 21 shots, six on target, and a post, with nearly 20% more possession. Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau made several key saves, including a diving stop on Anton Salétros and a denial of a Philip Zinckernagel tap-in.
- Both goals were back-post crosses. Leonardo Barroso found Bamba for a header in the 57th minute, and Bamba then headed one back for Haile-Selassie to equalize in the 69th.
- Lewandowski took six shots, none on target, per The Mane Land, and a header was disallowed for offside. He’s been in a long scoring slump, but the Burgundy Wave preview, a Q&A with Alex Calabrese of Men in Red 97 Media, calls him “long overdue” and picks a 2-1 Fire win.
- Defense: Orlando scored twice, and Burgundy Wave’s preview says the Fire’s main priority is eliminating preventable goals.
- Cards: Oregel Jr. and Elliott were booked, and Elliott’s came right before halftime. Check whether yellow-card accumulation is a concern.
Who’s Available
- Out: Sam Rogers and Robin Lod (both lower body) are unavailable, per the Fire’s matchday page.
- Back: Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Dje D’Avilla return from their yellow-card suspensions.
- Lineup: The XI will be named about an hour before kickoff. Against Orlando it was Brady in goal, a back four of Barroso, Hanche-Olsen, Elliott and Gutman, a midfield of Oregel, Mekvabishvili and Salétros, and a front three of Zinckernagel, Lewandowski and Haile-Selassie, with Bamba coming on at halftime for Oregel.
- André Franco was also listed unavailable (lower body) in the recap.
The Matchups That Matter
Bamba and Haile-Selassie against Colorado’s full-backs. Bamba is in form on the left, and Haile-Selassie is having the best season of his career. Both Fire goals against Orlando came off crosses to the far post, which is a repeatable pattern.
Lewandowski against the altitude and the Rapids’ center backs. He had six shots and no goals against Orlando. At some point that turns, and the Fire need him to be sharp in the box.
Back-post defending. The Fire gave up two goals to Orlando, and Whittaker has scored in consecutive matches for the Rapids. If Colorado generates crosses and set pieces, the Fire’s recent defensive lapses are a concern.
Altitude. Commerce City sits about a mile above sea level, and Calabrese flagged it as a test for the Fire before the playoffs. Late-game legs may matter, especially for a team that played Wednesday night.
Rotation. With a playoff berth secure, Berhalter has to balance resting players and keeping rhythm for the last two games against Colorado and Columbus. I’d expect the mix of starters to be a story on its own.
What Actually Decides It
The Rapids are desperate and home-unbeaten for 10 matches. The Fire have the better record and a chance to firm up the fourth seed.
I think the Fire are going to score, because the Orlando game showed they can create chances against a decent defense. I’m less sure we keep them out, because the same game showed we can give up goals on set patterns. In a high-stakes game for Colorado, I’d take a one-goal result either way, and I’ll go with the Fire because the attackers are in form.
My Final Score Prediction: Chicago Fire 2, Colorado Rapids 1
Let´s go!!!
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