Soldier Field (historically often referred to as Soldiers' Field) is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, USA. Opened in 1924 CE and reconstructed in 2003 CE, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears from the National Football League (NFL) since 1971 CE as well as Chicago Fire FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) from 1998 CE to 2006 CE. It also regularly hosts stadium concerts and other large crowd events. The stadium has a football capacity of 62,500, making it the smallest stadium in the NFL. Soldier Field is also the oldest stadium established in the NFL and 3rd oldest in MLS.
The stadium's interior was rebuilt as part of a major renovation project in 2002 CE, which modernised the facility but lowered its seating capacity, eventually causing it to be desisted as a National Historic Landmark in 2006 CE. Soldier Field has served as the home venue for a number of other sports teams in its history, including the Chicago Cardinals of the NFL and University of Notre Dame football. It hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, and multiple CONCACAF Gold Cup championships. In 1968 CE, it hosted the inaugural World Games of the Special Olympics, as well as its second World Games in 1970. Other historic events have included large rallies with speeches, including by Amelia Earhart, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King Jr.