Chicago Fire face Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, September 26, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The MLS matchup comes at an important stage of the regular season, with both Eastern Conference teams looking to strengthen their position in the playoff race.
Chicago will, however, be without one of the biggest names in its squad for the trip to Charlotte. Robert Lewandowski is not part of the Fire’s lineup for Saturday’s match, raising questions among fans about why the Polish striker is unavailable.
The veteran forward has been an important attacking option for Chicago since joining the club, and his absence is particularly notable given his previous impact against Charlotte this season. So, why is Lewandowski not playing today?
Why Is Robert Lewandowski Not Playing Against Charlotte?
Robert Lewandowski is unavailable for Chicago Fire because he is away on international duty with Poland.
The striker was called up by the Polish national team for the current international window, creating a scheduling conflict with Chicago’s MLS fixture against Charlotte. MLS’ official Matchday 28 Player Status Report lists Lewandowski as “International Duty (Out)”.
His absence is therefore not related to an injury or suspension.
Lewandowski’s international call-up comes as Poland begins its latest UEFA Nations League campaign.
Poland faced Bosnia and Herzegovina on September 25, just one day before Chicago’s MLS match against Charlotte. Poland are also scheduled to face Sweden on September 28.
With the international fixtures taking place during the same period as Chicago’s MLS schedule, Lewandowski remains with the Polish national team rather than returning to the United States for the Charlotte match
