On Sunday, March 1st, the Chattanooga Football Club will be kicking off their new season with what is sure to be an incredible home opener against Crown Legacy FC at Finley Stadium.
The Chattanooga Football Club was founded in 2009 by locals who wanted to celebrate and play soccer in Chattanooga. The club played its first eleven seasons in the Southeast Division of the National Premier Soccer League, the NPSL, a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid and one of the highest-profile amateur leagues in U.S. soccer.
During that eleven-season run, the club was incredibly successful, winning the NPSL regular-season title multiple times and making deep playoff runs. In the early years, they played matches wherever they could, around local venues and even smaller spots, before ultimately landing in late 2009 at Finley Stadium, where they have played every home game since then.
In 2024, Chattanooga Football Club made a huge leap forward in joining MLS NEXT Pro, a professional soccer league affiliated with MLS that sits in the third tier of the U.S. and Canadian soccer pyramid. This allowed the club to retain its identity while stepping up into a much more competitive, fully professional soccer environment.
In 2025, they proved they could compete at the highest level by finishing high enough in the MLS Next Pro standings to qualify for the playoffs, becoming the first independent club in league history to host a playoff match. This was a key moment for the club, and in 2026, they will be building on that success with their 18th official season and third season with MLS Next Pro.
Their interim head coach in 2026 will be Richard Dixon, and they have a multi-talented lineup returning for the 2026 season, including goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović and captain Alex McGrath, who is returning after an injury last year. They are also building strong new talent, and the 2026 season has high expectations. Also, the first 1000 fans at the game will receive a magnet schedule for free.
In speaking with the Chattanooga FC General Manager, Rachel Hanson, about the upcoming season and what fans can expect, she mentioned that there is a timelessness to it and a huge sense of community fostered in each game.
“CFC games are for everyone and are very family-friendly. There's a timelessness about them that I have always felt since being here. We are all incredibly excited for the home opener on March 1st. There will be a great range of food and beverage options for everyone, in-stadium booths, music, and, of course, high-quality soccer on display.
Our home games are always a celebration of our community and create a space for our community to feel connected and grounded. It's amazing to see everyone come together around the game, but truly for Chattanooga.”
Rachel went on to discuss the vision of the club and how it has evolved over the years, suggesting the vision is the same and also touching on what Finley Stadium means to the club.
“We are a community club for all of Chattanooga. The club's mission and vision haven't changed since its founding in 2009. Our purpose is to build community through the world's game. The club was founded by people who wanted to celebrate Chattanooga, and that's what CFC still is today.
We have been partnered with Fort Finley since 2009 and owe a lot of our success to having a place to play for that many years. We both exist to serve the community of Chattanooga, and our partnership continues to reinforce that for all who experience a match or even our youth who get to train there throughout the week.”
Finally, when asked about where she sees Chattanooga FC fitting into the broader U.S. soccer ecosystem over the next five to ten years, she suggested that she wants to continue to deepen the club’s roots in Chattanooga.
“We are an independent club, which is incredibly ambitious in the US ecosystem. We do not ever want to forget where we came from and how we have built this club over the last 17 years. That is reflected both on and off the field. We want to model for other independent clubs the possibilities that come with putting your roots down in a mid-size city and creating a fan base around the love of your city.”
Chattanooga FC vs. Crown Legacy FC
- Home and Season Opener. 3 p.m. March 1.
- $11.79-$71.87.
- Finley Stadium. 1826 Reggie White Blvd, Chattanooga
- Tickets: mlsnextpro.com/chattanoogafc