In the 2020 MLS season, Chicago Fire FC returned to city limits at Soldier Field under new owner Joe Mansueto and head coach Raphael Wicky. The campaign was heavily disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which paused the league and introduced the MLS is Back Tournament, where the Fire failed to advance past the group stage. Following a controversial rebrand, the team struggled for consistency, finishing 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 5-8-10 record and narrowly missing the expanded playoffs by a single point.