Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Red Stars and Riot Fest have announced a partnership to celebrate women's sports and live music. This collaboration follows Riot Fest's return to Chicago, with the Red Stars hosting their September 21 match against San Diego Wave FC as planned.

“I would like to thank Riot Fest and the organizers for communicating with us over the past two months and during this process. I look forward to our partnership and each of us being able to host our events in a manner that best serves our fanbases and allows us to collaborate going forward,” said Chicago Red Stars president, Karen Leetzow.

“Riot Fest has always been about more than just music—it’s about culture. Partnering with the Chicago Red Stars was a natural fit because the same level of passion and dedication we pour into Riot Fest, we see in the Red Stars,” said Michael “Riot Mike” Petryshyn, founder of Riot Fest. “That fervor flows not only with the players but with their ardent fans. That’s culture. I, for one, can’t wait to collaborate with them this year and well into the future.”

The partnership aims to foster community ties and celebrate women's achievements in sports while creating memorable experiences for supporters. At this year's Riot Fest, the Red Stars will have a dedicated booth where fans can learn more about the club, play games, win tickets to upcoming matches, and more. The Red Stars will also host a ‘Riot Fest Night’ on Sunday, November 3, featuring co-branded merchandise and a presence by Riot Fest in their Fan Zone.

The collaboration allowed the Red Stars to maintain home-field advantage without leaving Chicago. During negotiations, Kansas City Current offered their stadium as an alternative venue.

“I would like to thank the entire Kansas City Current organization for reaching out to us after hearing about our issues and offering to host our match in a gesture of true support for women’s sports. I would also like to thank our partner, United Airlines, for their support and offer to fly our players, associates and even some of our fans to Kansas City to help us mitigate the cost of changing venues,” said Leetzow.

The Chicago Red Stars will resume regular-season play with a two-match road trip before returning to SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday, September 8, for their Welcome Home match presented by United Airlines.

Fans can secure tickets for upcoming matches at chicagoredstars.com/tickets. Riot Fest enthusiasts can visit riotfest.org for festival details and single-day tickets.