- Address: 1410 South Museum Campus Drive, Chicago
- Country: United States
- Capacity: 61,000
- Opened: 9 October 1924
- Main use: American football, football
- Tenants: Chicago Bears (American football), Chicago Fire (football)
Extra stadium info – Soldier Field
The construction of the stadium, which opened as the Municipal Grant Park Stadium, started in 1922. It is known as a venue for several events, like American football, boxing, concerts, football, ice hockey, monster truck events, political events, religious gatherings and rugby union. The Chicago Freedom Movement held rallies at the Soldier Field in the 1960s. The venue was renovated between 2002 and 2003. The renovation costs were $632 million. In 2014, the Soldier Field hosted its first-ever rugby union match between two national rugby union teams. New Zealand won the game against the United States in front of 61,000 spectators. It became the best-attended rugby union game in the United States.
The 1994 FIFA World Cup
The stadium hosted 1994 World Cup matches of the national football teams of Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Germany, the Hellenic Republic and Spain. Germany won the first FIFA World Cup match at the venue after beating Bolivia 1-0. 63,000 spectators showed up for the match. Three more group-stage matches of the world championship for national football teams took place at the Solder Field in 1994. Germany won the stadium’s fifth and last 1994 FIFA World Cup game, in which they defeated Belgium 3-2. It was a round-of-16 match. Germany were eliminated by Bulgaria in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears use the Soldier Field for home games. They became one of the most successful National Football League clubs. In 1986, the Bears won the Super Bowl for the first time in their history. They drew an average attendance of 60,000 in eight home games in that NFL season. The Bears won the Super Bowl after beating the New England Patriots from Massachusetts 46-10. 73,000 people showed up for the game, which took place in Louisiana.
The Chicago Fire
The Chicago Fire, the first football club from Illinois with 100,000 followers on its main social media page, also use the Soldier Field for home games. They drew an average home attendance of 17,000 in their first-ever Major League Soccer season at the Soldier Field. In 1998, the Chicago Fire won the MLS Cup in their inaugural Major League Soccer season. They faced DC United in the MLS Cup that year. In 2011, Chicago Fire Football Club played their first-ever football match against a FIFA Club World Cup winner, when they faced Manchester United Football Club from the United Kingdom. The match took place at the Soldier Field front of a crowd of 61,000. Manchester United, the fifth club with a FIFA Club World Cup title, won the game.
