The following is a list of current and former professional sports teams in Illinois.

Current professional sports teams

Major professional teams
Club Sport League Founded Note
Chicago Cubs Baseball Major League Baseball 1875
Chicago White Sox Baseball Major League Baseball 1894 Based in Chicago since 1900
Chicago Bulls Basketball National Basketball Association 1966
Chicago Sky Basketball Women's National Basketball Association 2005
Chicago Bears Football National Football League 1919
Chicago Blackhawks Ice hockey National Hockey League 1926
Chicago Hounds Rugby union Major League Rugby 2022
Chicago Fire FC Soccer Major League Soccer 1997
Chicago Red Stars Soccer National Women's Soccer League 2007
Minor professional teams
Club Sport League Founded Note
Peoria Chiefs Baseball Midwest League 1983
Kane County Cougars Baseball American Association 1991
Chicago Dogs Baseball American Association 2018
Gateway Grizzlies Baseball Frontier League 2001
Joliet Slammers Baseball Frontier League 2002
Schaumburg Boomers Baseball Frontier League 2012
Windy City ThunderBolts Baseball Frontier League 1995 Formerly the Cook County Cheetahs
Windy City Bulls Basketball NBA G League 2016
Chicago Steam Basketball American Basketball Association 2008
Libertyville Vipers Basketball American Basketball Association 2014
Kankakee County Soldiers Basketball Independent Basketball Association 2007
Quad City Steamwheelers Football Indoor Football League 2018
Chicago Wolves Ice hockey American Hockey League 1994
Rockford IceHogs Ice hockey American Hockey League 1991
Peoria Rivermen Ice hockey Southern Professional Hockey League 2013
Quad City Storm Ice hockey Southern Professional Hockey League 2009 Founded as the Louisiana IceGators
Chicago Steel Ice hockey United States Hockey League 2000
Chicago Mustangs Indoor soccer Major Arena Soccer League 2 2012
Chicago Fire FC II Soccer MLS Next Pro 2021
Peoria City Soccer USL League Two 2020
Windy City Rollers Roller Derby Women's Flat Track Derby Association 2005
Chicago Union Ultimate American Ultimate Disc League 2013 Founded as Windy City Wildfire

Former professional sports teams

Club Sport League Seasons Note
Bloomington Edge Football United Indoor Football
Indoor Football League
Champions Professional Indoor Football League
X-League Indoor Football
Champions Indoor Football		 2006–2018 Was known as the Bloomington Extreme from 2006 to 2011
Chicago American Gears Basketball National Basketball League
Professional Basketball League of America		 1944–1947
Chicago Bandits Fastpitch softball National Pro Fastpitch 2005–2021
Chicago Blaze Ice hockey All American Hockey League 2009
Chicago Blitz Football United States Football League 1983–1984
Chicago Bruisers Football Arena Football League 1987–1989
Chicago Cardinals Football National Football League 1898–1959 Moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and became the St. Louis Cardinals, moved again to the Phoenix area and are now the Arizona Cardinals
Chicago Cats Soccer American Soccer League 1975–1976
Chicago Condors Basketball American Basketball League 1998
Chicago Cougars Ice hockey World Hockey Association 1972–1975
Chicago Enforcers Football XFL 2001
Chicago Express Ice hockey ECHL 2010–2011
Chicago Fire American football World Football League 1974
Chicago Fire Premier Soccer USL Premier Development League 2001–2016
Chicago Hounds Ice hockey United Hockey League 2006–2007
Chicago Hustle Basketball Women's Professional Basketball League 1978–1981
Chicago Machine Lacrosse Major League Lacrosse 2006–2010
Chicago Mustangs Soccer North American Soccer League 1967–1968
Chicago Packers/Chicago Zephyrs Basketball National Basketball Association 1961–1962 (Packers)
1962–1963 (Zephyrs)		 Moved to Baltimore and became the Baltimore Bullets, moved again to Washington, D.C., and are now the Washington Wizards
Chicago Power Soccer American Indoor Soccer Association (1988–1990)
National Professional Soccer League (1990–1996)		 1988–1996
Chicago Rockstars Basketball American Basketball Association 2006–2007
Chicago Rush Football Arena Football League 2001–2008, 2010–2013
Chicago Shamrox Lacrosse National Lacrosse League 2006–2008
Chicago Skyliners Basketball American Basketball Association 2000–2001 Moved to Nevada and became the Las Vegas Slam
Chicago Slaughter Football Indoor Football League 2006
Chicago Stags Basketball National Basketball Association 1946–1950
Chicago Sting Soccer North American Soccer League (1975–1984)
Major Indoor Soccer League (1984–1988)		 1975–1988
Chicago Thunder Volleyball United States Professional Volleyball League 2002
Chicago Tigers Football American Professional Football Association 1920
Chicago Winds Football World Football League 1975
Danville Dashers Ice hockey Federal Prospects Hockey League 2011–2020
Decatur Staleys Football National Football League (1920–1921) 1919–1920 (Decatur)
1921 (Chicago)
1922–present (Chicago Bears)		 Moved to Chicago to become the Chicago Staleys and then changed their name to the Chicago Bears.
Lake County Fielders Baseball Northern League (2010)
North American League (2011)		 2010–11
Normal CornBelters Baseball Frontier League 2009–2018 Moved to the Prospect League
Peoria Rivermen Ice hockey American Hockey League 2005–2013 Moved to Utica, New York, to become the Utica Comets.
Peoria Rivermen Ice hockey ECHL 1996–2005 Ownership obtained an American Hockey League franchise.
Peoria Rivermen Ice hockey International Hockey League 1984–1996 Moved to San Antonio, Texas, to become the San Antonio Dragons.
Peoria Pirates Football AF2 1999–2009
Peoria Prancers Ice hockey International Hockey League 1982–1984 Became the Peoria Rivermen
Quad City Flames Ice hockey American Hockey League 2007–2009 Moved to Abbotsford, British Columbia, as the Abbotsford Heat
Quad City Mallards Ice hockey United Hockey League 1995–2007
Quad City Mallards Ice hockey International Hockey League
Central Hockey League
ECHL		 2009–2018
Quad City Steamwheelers Football AF2 1999–2009
Quad City Thunder Basketball Continental Basketball Association 1987–2001
Rockford Lightning Basketball Continental Basketball Association 1986–2006
Rockford Peaches Baseball All-American Girls Professional Baseball League 1943–1954
Rockford Rampage Soccer Major Indoor Soccer League 2005–2012
Rockford RiverHawks/Aviators Baseball Frontier League 1993–2008, 2011–2015
Rockford Thunder Fastpitch softball National Pro Fastpitch 2007–2009
Schaumburg Flyers Baseball Northern League 1993–2010
Southern Illinois Miners Baseball Frontier League 2007–2021
Tri-Cities Blackhawks Basketball National Basketball League 1946−1951 The team played 13 games as the Buffalo Bison during the 1946–47 season before moving to Moline, Illinois. Moved to Milwaukee and became the Milwaukee Hawks (1951–1955), moved again to St. Louis, Missouri (1955–1968), then moved once more and are now the Atlanta Hawks (1968–Present). They are the only professional sports team to have played in five cities.
Vermilion County Bobcats Ice hockey Southern Professional Hockey League 2021−2023 The Bobcats ceased operations in mid-season on February 9, 2023.

See also

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