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20252026NFLWeek 8

Chicago Bears Near Breakthrough Agreement On New Home In Major Update That Nobody Saw Coming

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This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

A general view of a logo painted on the sideline to honor the memory of former Chicago Bear and Hall of Famer Dick Butkus.
A general view of a logo painted on the sideline to honor the memory of former Chicago Bear and Hall of Famer Dick Butkus. Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Bears spent months insisting they were focused on building a new stadium in Indiana. Seeing them move from Illinois was insane for many people, but the situation looks different now.

Videos of the team’s potential new stadium location went viral earlier this year. Fans quickly mentioned all the issues the new venue could face. Fortunately for die-hard fans, they may not have to take the 35-minute drive from Chicago to Hammond to watch their beloved team.

Key Details Of The Chicago Bears’ Emerging Stadium Agreement

Jan 18, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears fans during an NFC Divisional Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Greg Hinz of Crain’s Chicago Business reported on Thursday that the Bears are “close to a deal that would keep them in Illinois.” The Illinois legislature could vote to green-light the project as soon as November.

Hinz said that the new stadium would “most likely” be built in Arlington Heights. While they won’t stay in Chicago, they will stay in Illinois and will not move to Indiana.

A new law could allow Chicago to establish an authority to own and operate the venue, with no property taxes paid. Instead, taxpayer money would be used only for new roads and infrastructure.

Hinz credited Bears minority Pat Ryan and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for helping the Bears’ case to stay in Illinois. On the other hand, the two people focused on building a new stadium in Hammond, majority owner George McCaskey and president/CEO Kevin Warren, took a backseat.

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