Match Preview: KC Current at Chicago Stars

The NWSL schedule-makers were both kind and inconsiderate when putting together the Kansas City Current’s early season schedule for 2026. On the one hand, they allowed KC to ease into the season by squaring off against two of the league’s worst teams recently with the Utah Royals and Chicago Stars. On the other hand, after the home opener, they scheduled a week-long, three-match turf road trip (Sunday-Wednesday-Saturday) followed by games against the two teams from last year’s Championship Match (Gotham and Washington). Needless to say, after this flurry of matches is over, we will know a lot more about this version of the Current.

What we learned after one match this season is…inconclusive. Yes, it was a win over Utah, but it was a stressful victory requiring a second half comeback after a first 45 to forget. The Royals had never previously even scored against the Current, but they were the better team in the first half and deservedly went into the break with a 1-0 lead. But, like a Jekyll and Hyde transformation, Kansas City looked much more like the team we’ve come to expect in recent years after play resumed. The team’s two biggest, most expensive trade acquisitions played the heroes as Croix Bethune already looks like she’ll be worth the $1M fee and Ally Sentnor has maybe found her position playing at the #9.

FULL HIGHLIGHTS | Kansas City Current vs Utah Royals FC

Again, the verdict is still out on what all this means for the team moving forward. If Saturday’s first half was just an anomaly and they got that out of their system, then the league needs to once more watch out. If, though, that inauspicious start is more indicative of the way the Current will play under new coach Chris Armas, this could prove to be a disappointing year.

The focus (and next opportunity for data collection) now turns to the windy city as KC travels northeast to take on the Chicago Stars. After clashing with the team that finished 2025 in 12th place (of 14 teams) in the Royals, the Current now get to take on the team that finished dead last a year ago. And if week one is anything to go by, the Stars may be destined for the cellar again. They got thrashed by a 4-0 scoreline to Angel City on Sunday and, if anything, the game wasn’t even that close.

Chicago’s roster is not without their strengths, but it’s been a challenge for a few years now for the team to lean into those strengths and get on field results. Of course, they employ one of the best attackers in the world in Mallory Swanson, but she continues to be on maternity leave after giving birth to her first child in November. The striker who filled in nicely for her last season, Ludmila, has now shifted to the San Diego Wave. The Stars have added Canadian international and former Seattle Reign forward Jordyn Huitema this year and still boast rising USWNT star Jameese Joseph along the front line, but again, one match in and the returns aren’t favorable.

Even more concerning for Chicago is the fact they conceded four times to an Angel City attack that wasn’t all that threatening a year ago. Probably the highest profile member of the Stars’ roster is their goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher. She’s won multiple World Cups and Olympic medals while representing the United States. About a year ago she retired from international soccer, but as recently as 2024 she was named the FIFA best goalkeeper in the world. However, the season opening match was one she’ll likely want to forget as her blunders led to at least one if not a pair of Angel City tallies.

All this is to say that if the Current play up to their abilities, this would seem to be a match they should win fairly comfortably. Of course, Kansas City’s roster is still not at its full strength either and the new/replacement pieces may still need some time to fully gel under Armas in his first season in the league. There have been some positive signs for the Current on the injury front as many athletes (Chawinga, LaBonta, Rodríguez) are back in training–though they are unlikely to be match-ready quite yet.

In week one, there was an all-hands-on-deck approach to filling in for these missing stars. Bayley Feist went the distance in the defensive midfield role alongside first Katie Scott and then Gabby Robinson–both of whom would normally line up as defenders. Additionally, on the wings, the quartet of Bethune, Hocking, Cooper, and Hopkins all played between 35 and 55 minutes. This rather ad hoc lineup struggled at times, but did eventually seem to find their footing and delivered KC’s third straight season-opening win at CPKC Stadium.

They will now need to take their show on the road and will likely need to lean into their depth even more with the schedule congestion and travel over the next seven days. This is very early to expect a lot of these athletes to be able to go 270+ minutes over a single week so expect some rotation. Because the Chicago game would seem to be the “easiest” of the three, perhaps a couple of regular starters will get some time off in anticipation of more use later in the week.

Regardless, it will be important to depart Illinois Sunday afternoon with another win.

🚨 UPDATED KICKOFF TIMES 🚨

Our new kickoff times are:

⏰ 1:15PM CT vs Chicago Stars FC on Mar 22
⏰ 9PM CT vs San Diego Wave FC on Sept 18

Learn more: https://t.co/GEWp0ELkws pic.twitter.com/peHGQEH3l9

— KC Current (@thekccurrent) March 17, 2026

WHEN: Sunday, March 22 at 1:15 PM (Central Time)

WHERE: Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, Evanston, IL

HOW TO WATCH: ESPN 2

Record:

KC Current: 1-0-0 (3 points, 2nd place)

Chicago Stars: 0-0-1 (0 points, 14th place)

Last Match:

KC Current: 2-1 home victory over Utah Royals

Chicago Stars: 0-4 away defeat at Angel City FC