Chicago Stars fire head coach Martin Sjögren

The Chicago Stars have dismissed head coach Martin Sjögren and assistant coach Anders Jacobson following a difficult season in the National Women’s Soccer League. The decision comes as the club sits at the bottom of the 16-team league with a 4-13-1 record, characterized by the fewest goals scored in the NWSL and a significant winless streak since early July.

Karina Báez, an assistant coach for the past three seasons, has been appointed interim head coach for the remainder of the 2026 campaign. Additionally, former head coach Lorne Donaldson returns to the club as interim director of coaching to oversee the technical staff. The club also brought in Nicole Lukic as a new assistant coach to focus on individual player development.

The coaching shakeup affects key players including Canadian internationals Julia Grosso and Jordyn Huitema. Grosso has been a regular starter, appearing in 13 of the club’s first 18 matches, while Huitema, the club’s leading scorer prior to a ruptured ACL in July, is sidelined for the remainder of the season.