Chattanooga FC Becomes First Independent Team to Play in MLS NEXT Pro Cup
Chattanooga, Tennessee is truly a soccer town, and it will be the host of a professional league final this weekend.
The passionate fans of Chattanooga FC always turn out for their club, and the club owns the national amateur soccer attendance record with 18,227 fans on hand for the 2015 NPSL National Championship. Chattanooga FC also set a new attendance record earlier this season with a crowd of 6,107 fans during a match against Inter Miami CF II at Erlanger Park.
Big things are also expected for Sunday as Chattanooga FC faces LAFC 2 at Finley Stadium in the MLS NEXT Pro Cup at 6:00 pm ET.
Chattanooga FC’s journey to hosting the final was simply epic. Chattanooga FC erased a two-goal deficit and scored the game-winning goal in second-half stoppage time to capture the Eastern Conference Championship last Sunday night. Chattanooga defeated the inaugural champions, Columbus Crew 2, 3-2, at Finley Stadium – claiming the club’s first hardware in MLS NEXT Pro.
NPSL and Chattanooga FC legend Juan Hernandez shared the excitement surrounding Sunday’s final. He is the club’s second all-time assists leader (24) and second all-time appearance maker (127 matches). He spent eight seasons in Chattanooga, and earned several awards during his time in the NPSL. Hernandez is currently the Senior Girls Program Director for CFC Youth, which is the club’s academy.
“As a player, coach, and fan of Chattanooga FC, it has always been something special to play for a championship at Finley Stadium,” Hernandez said. “2015 was an unforgettable year for this community, and 2026 is bringing back similar feelings of championship soccer at home and the opportunity to continue to make history as a club. Playing in the NPSL Final in front of 18,227 Chattahooligans was a truly special experience and a moment that will always be part of this club’s history. This year’s MLS NEXT Pro final represents another important milestone in Chattanooga’s journey, bringing recognition at the professional level while remaining true to what makes this club unique: being an independent club built around its community. It’s exciting to see how far we’ve come and to be part of another special chapter in Chattanooga FC’s history.”
Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly is also looking forward to Sunday’s final. It is bittersweet considering Kelly is one of the club’s co-founders.
“I’m very proud and excited for Chattanooga to reach the MLS Next Pro final and host it here,” Chattanooga mayor Tim Kelly said. “For an independent club to do that is no small feat and a tribute to what the organization has built here since our earliest days in the NPSL.”
The 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Cup will air live with an enhanced broadcast on MLSNEXTPro.com and OneFootball. The MLS NEXT Pro Cup will also be broadcast in Spanish on MLSNEXTPro.com.
Photo Credit: Chattanooga FC
