Chattanooga Football Club to compete in US Open Cup
Following Chattanooga Football Club's largely successful 2015 season, the National Premier Soccer League has announced that Chattanooga FC will once again compete in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in the upcoming 2016 season.
The US Open Cup, the nation’s oldest, on-going soccer tournament, has been held every year since 1914, and it is the world’s third-oldest soccer tournament. As 2015 NPSL Finalists, Chattanooga FC receives an automatic berth into the tournament. Being selected to participate in the US Open Cup is an honor for the team, says CFC General Manager Sean McDaniel.
“Being chosen to represent our league, the NPSL, in the 2016 US Open Cup is a very special privilege, and we’d love to turn some heads again like we did last year,” says McDaniel. Chattanooga FC won their first 2 games in the US Open Cup last year, falling to the Atlanta Silverbacks of the NASL in a closely-contested overtime loss in their 3rd round match. Reaching the 3rd round was quite an accomplishment for Chattanooga FC, which is an all-amateur side.
The tournament is designed to give any and all organized soccer teams in the country the opportunity to advance round by round to the championship match. As a single-elimination tournament with a wide range of teams and levels, it is the perfect opportunity for a Cinderella story team to take down the juggernauts of higher leagues.
En route to an impressive 3rd round showing, Chattanooga FC defeated the Ocala Stampede and the Wilmington Hammerheads, the latter of which is an all-pro team that was heavily favored. Chattanooga FC was the only NPSL team to reach the 3rd round of the US Open Cup in 2015.
In 2016’s US Open Cup, Chattanooga FC will be less of an underdog, and more of a viable threat in opposing professional teams’ eyes. Being a force to reckoned with in the US Open Cup shows how far Chattanooga FC has come since its inception in 2009. McDaniel says 2016 is full of potential for the club.
“The growth of the club has been amazing, and we have the best fans in the league in the Chattahooligans, so we’re ready for 2016, we’re excited to show the league and the US Open Cup what we’ve got.”
Chattanooga FC will start US Open Cup play in early May 2016. The opposing team and location of the match is to be determined and will be announced in early 2016. Chattanooga FC schedules and team information can be found at www.chattanoogafc.com.