CHICAGO(Feb. 15, 2017) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced Wednesday that the club has signed a USL affiliate partnership with Tulsa Roughnecks FC.

“We are pleased to be collaborating with Tulsa Roughnecks and their coach, David Vaudreuil,” stated general manager Nelson Rodríguez. “In addition to loaning players, we will also seek to find scrimmage opportunities and share best practices. We also thank Saint Louis FC for the previous two years and wish them good luck as they work with the hope of joining MLS.”

This is the second affiliation for the Fire, having spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons partnered with Saint Louis FC.

Per the partnership, the Fire will send players on loan to Tulsa with an option to recall those players at any point during the loan.

The Roughnecks began USL play in 2015. Led by head coach David Vaudreuil, a former Fire defender who appeared in 26 regular season games for the Men in Red during the 2001 and 2002 seasons, the Roughnecks will compete at the 7,800-seat ONEOK Field, located in downtown Tulsa, Okla. The Roughnecks’ 2017 campaign kicks off on the road against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on March 25.