Chicago Fire FC announced the departure of assistant coach Filipe Çelikkaya from the Club to become the head coach of Hungarian League side ZTE FC.

What happened?

Filipe Çelikkaya joined the Fire in January 2025 from Sporting Clube Portugal. He had previously served as an Assistant Coach for FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukrainian Premier League for the 2019-20 season.

Why it matters for Chicago Fire FC

Chicago Fire FC Director of Football and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter said: “We would like to thank Filipe for his contributions to our Club on and off the sideline.” Berhalter also expressed support for Çelikkaya's development and new challenge.

What comes next?

Çelikkaya will take on his first role as head coach of a first division team in the Hungarian League. His experience includes coaching positions with Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Al Ahli, and Vitória Sport Clube.