Forward Madison FC announced a new affiliation agreement with Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire FC on Thursday.
“We feel this partnership will have a significant impact on our fight to deliver a championship to Madison this season,” Forward Madison Chief Operating Officer Conor Caloia said in a release. “Between the ownership, management team and coaching staff of the Chicago Fire, there is a great energy in that organization right now that aligns well with where we are going.”
The two clubs made the affiliation official with a jersey exchange and a Wisconsin spin on the classic Chicago handshake—a shot of Malört paired with a Madison beer—at a meet and greet Thursday night.