Bay FC host Chicago Stars in NWSL action on May 24, 2026, with kickoff set for 5:00 PM ET in a match available to watch live in the United States. It is a meeting between two sides in need of a lift, but the pressure sits differently on each bench.
Bay FC arrive with one win, two draws and two defeats across their last five league games, a run that includes a 3-0 home loss to Gotham FC and a 2-0 defeat to Portland Thorns in their most recent outing. Their only victory in that stretch came away at San Diego Wave FC, while they also drew with Utah Royals and Boston Legacy FC, scoring two goals and conceding six. Emma Coates has no listed injury or suspension concerns ahead of the fixture, which gives Bay FC a clean selection picture as they try to stop the slide.
Chicago Stars are the league’s bottom side and have won just once in five games, though that lone victory was a 2-0 result against Boston Legacy FC in late April. Since then, they have lost four straight, and their current run has left them searching for control at both ends of the field. Martin Sjoegren also has no listed absences or disciplinary concerns, so the visitors travel with their squad intact even as the results have gone against them.
Mallory Swanson’s return from maternity leave adds another layer to Chicago’s trip. She came off the bench in the Stars’ last outing against North Carolina Courage, giving the club a fresh attacking option at a time when they badly need one. For Bay FC, the task is more immediate: they need points at home to steady inconsistent form. For Chicago, the concern is bigger than one match. They have to show that the win over Boston was a start, not a pause.
That is what makes this chicago stars vs bay fc fixture more than a routine May date. Bay FC are trying to arrest a wobble before it deepens, while Chicago are trying to find signs of life before the standings harden further around them.
