Chicago Fire FC have hired Gregg Broughton as their new sporting director, the club announced Tuesday.
An executive with over 20 years of experience, Broughton most recently served as director of football for Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship from June 2022 to May 2024. He will report directly to Chicago's new head coach and director of football, Gregg Berhalter.
“Gregg brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from his time in Europe, and we’re excited to have him on board as our sporting director,” Berhalter said in an official statement. “He is a passionate leader with a proven track record of developing talent and building competitive teams.
"As a key member of our leadership team, Gregg will help establish a high-performance culture to drive sustained success across all areas of the sporting department.”
As the Fire's sporting director, Broughton will oversee talent development and assist in the recruitment, negotiation, and retention of players and staff. Additionally, he'll work with Berhalter in implementing the technical strategy and maintaining alignment of the club’s game model, principles of play and positional profiles.
“I’m delighted to join Chicago Fire FC as sporting director and share Gregg Berhalter’s vision of making the Fire one of the top clubs in North America,” said Broughton. “I look forward to supporting Gregg across all areas of the sporting department to develop a culture of excellence and create a player trading model that supports both signing and retaining the talent needed to drive success."
A native of Bedford, England, Broughton began his career at EFL League One side Wycombe Wanderers in 1999. He's since held technical staff positions at AFC Rushen & Diamonds, Luton Town, Norwich City, and FK Bodø/Glimt in Norway before his most recent stint with Blackburn Rovers.
Broughton is Chicago's second hire of their new sporting leadership team, following Michael Stephens, who was announced as head of recruitment last week.
