Chicago Bears Eyeing Move to Indiana Amid Relocation Talks

The Bears are considering a move across state lines to Hammond, Indiana as discussions with Chicago heat up.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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The Chicago Bears are in discussions to potentially relocate their franchise to Hammond, Indiana, just across the state border from their current home. The Indiana House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee has passed a bill to establish a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to begin financing a new stadium for the Bears, while the team has remained silent on their talks with the city of Chicago.

Why it matters

The potential relocation of the iconic Chicago Bears franchise would be a major blow to the city, ending a decades-long relationship. It highlights the challenges cities face in retaining professional sports teams as teams seek newer, more lucrative stadium deals.

The details

The Bears have not mentioned the city of Chicago or the state of Illinois in their recent statement applauding the Indiana legislature's actions, even as Illinois lawmakers are working with the franchise on a deal to keep them in their current home. This dramatic turn of events has caught state and local officials off guard as the team appears to be favoring a move across state lines to Hammond, Indiana.

  • On February 20, 2026, the Indiana House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee passed a bill establishing a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to begin financing a stadium for the Bears.
  • On the same day, the Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee was scheduled to hold a hearing on a bill that would attempt to move the process of keeping the Bears in Illinois forward, but the franchise requested the hearing be paused for "further tweaks" just one day before.

The players

Chicago Bears

The professional American football team that has played in Chicago since 1921 and is one of the oldest and most iconic franchises in the NFL.

Indiana House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee

The legislative committee in the Indiana House of Representatives that passed a bill to establish a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to begin financing a new stadium for the Chicago Bears.

JB Pritzker

The Governor of Illinois, whose spokesperson expressed surprise at the Bears' statement applauding Indiana's actions while ignoring Illinois.

Hammond, Indiana

The city located just across the state border from Chicago that the Bears are considering relocating to.

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What they’re saying

“The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date. We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana.”

— Chicago Bears (Yahoo Sports)

“This morning, we were surprised to see a statement lauding Indiana and ignoring Illinois.”

— Matt Hill, Spokesman for Governor JB Pritzker (X)

What’s next

The Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee is expected to hold a hearing on a bill to keep the Bears in Illinois once the team is ready for "further tweaks" to the proposal.

The takeaway

The potential relocation of the Chicago Bears to Indiana highlights the intense competition between states and cities to attract and retain professional sports franchises, often through lucrative stadium deals. This development will likely spark a bidding war between Illinois and Indiana to secure the iconic team's future home.