Chicago Stars vs. Portland Thorns: Match Preview – May 3, 2026
Chicago Stars FC (2-5-0, 6 pts) will wrap up a 3-sport homestand towards Portland Thorns FC (5-1-1, 16 pts) on Sunday, May 3, at midday CT at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Illinois within the crew’s Together Strong matchoffered by nellaspec.com.
Where to Watch
Stream: ESPN2, ESPN App
Sjögren on the Helm
After being announced as Chicago’s new head coach late final yr, Martin Sjögren’s first season with the Stars is underway. The Swede arrives in Chicago after greater than a decade teaching at numerous Swedish groups and a stint on the helm of the Norwegian Women’s National Team. Sjögren earned his first NWSL win in a 2-1 victory over the reigning NWSL Shield winners, the Kansas City Current on Sunday, March 22. Current assistant coach Anders Jacobson beforehand joined the Stars in August 2025 as interim head coach forward of Sjögren’s arrival, setting the inspiration for what would change into the crew’s id below the duo.
Squad Leaders
Tessa Dellarose, Ryan Gareis, Julia Grosso and Sam Staab have performed in all seven matches for Chicago, with Staab being the one Star to play all 630 minutes. Jordyn Huitema leads the squad with two objectives and ranks first within the league for aerial duels received (19), whereas Gareis leads the Stars with two assists, rating her second within the NWSL.
In Net
Against Gotham FC, Alyssa Naeher recorded 5 saves and now has 528 saves for the Chicago Stars, the second-most saves for a single membership throughout the league. Goalkeeper Halle Mackiewicz has been faraway from the 45-day harm checklist and positioned on the membership’s energetic roster, as introduced by the Stars on April 29. After lacking Chicago’s first six matches, Mackiewicz joined the energetic roster forward of Stars’ match towards Gotham FC.
Lauren Holiday Impact Award
Goalkeeper Katie Atkinson was introduced by the league because the Chicago Stars’ nominee for the 2026 Lauren Holiday Impact Awardoffered by Nationwide, which acknowledges an NWSL Player for excellent service and character off the pitch and locally. Atkinson will crew up with the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. The middle is nationally ranked by US News & World Report for pediatric oncology and treats extra youngsters with most cancers and blood issues than some other hospital in Illinois. Before becoming a member of the Chicago Stars, Atkinson was beforehand Racing Louisville FC’s nominee for the 2024 version of the award, partnering with one other native youngsters’s hospital, Norton Children’s. Lund labored extensively with pediatric oncology organizations all through her time in Louisville and plans to proceed doing so in Chicago, starting with the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Lurie Children’s.
Here’s the History
The Stars are 5-11-16 towards the Thorns. The final time Chicago hosted Portland on September 14, 2025, the match resulted in a 1-1 draw.
