Chattanooga FC announced today that the club will host CT United FC in the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference Semifinals on Sunday, October 25 at 5:00 p.m. ET at Finley Stadium.
Chattanooga FC booked a place in the next round of the league’s playoffs after a thrilling 3-1 victory over NYCFC II on Sunday. Goals from Alex Krehl, Anthony Sorenson and Yuval Cohen sealed the club’s first-ever MLS NEXT Pro playoff win.
The Pick-Your-Opponent process was utilized for the conference semifinals, with the highest remaining seed in each conference selecting and hosting an opponent from the two lowest seeded teams. The two remaining clubs will face each other, with the higher of the two seeds hosting.
No. 1 seed Crown Legacy selected No. 4 seed Columbus Crew 2 with CFC, the No. 2 seed, getting the remaining opponent, No. 7 seed CT United FC. The show was not broadcast or live-streamed for the conference semifinals.
MLS NEXT Pro Conference Semifinals schedule – all streamed live on MLSNEXTPro.com and OneFootball.com:
Eastern Conference
Sunday, October 25
Chattanooga FC (No. 2) vs CT United FC (No. 7) – Finley Stadium (5 p.m. ET)
Crown Legacy FC (No. 1) vs Columbus Crew 2 (No. 4) – Sportsplex at Matthews (7 p.m. ET)
Western Conference
Sunday, October 25
Austin FC II (No. 1) vs LAFC 2 (No. 6) – Parmer Field (8:30 p.m. ET)
Portland Timbers2 (No. 2) vs Ventura County FC (No. 3) – Providence Park (10 p.m. ET)
History with CT United FC
Chattanooga FC and CT United FC have met just once before, when Alex McGrath inspired the Boys in Blue to a 4-2 win back on March 8. Alex Krehl also scored a brace in that match for the first of many goals for the club this campaign (19).
The match will be an historic one for the league as it will be the first playoff match between two independent clubs.
Tickets on sale now!
Tickets for Chattanooga FC’s match with CT United FC on Sunday, October 25 at 5:00 p.m. are on sale now at CFCTIX.com
ABOUT CHATTANOOGA FOOTBALL CLUB
Chattanooga Football Club was founded in 2009. The CFC Men’s team competes in MLS NEXT Pro, while the CFC Women’s team competes in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). Chattanooga Football Club became the first soccer club to offer true ownership to the fans in 2019 with 3,200+ investors from Chattanooga, all 50 states, and 31 countries. CFC plays all home games at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga.
Chattanooga FC Youth serves children from U2-U18, partnering with Soccer Shots (U2-U6) and running its own programming for kindergarten through 12th grade. It is the region’s most successful youth soccer club, giving players a pathway from recreational soccer to competitive soccer to college soccer to pro soccer for players with that goal.
ABOUT MLS NEXT Pro
Launched in 2022 by Major League Soccer, MLS NEXT Pro is a professional men’s soccer league in the United States and Canada that completes the pro player pathway from MLS NEXT to MLS first teams. MLS NEXT Pro continues to grow the game through innovation and inclusion, bringing professional soccer to new communities and creating opportunities both on and off the field. MLS NEXT Pro celebrates its fifth season in 2026 with 30 teams, 27 MLS-affiliated and three independent, Carolina Core FC, Chattanooga FC and Connecticut United FC. Additional MLS-affiliated and independent clubs will join in the years ahead, including Forest City Cleveland, Jacksonville Armada FC, AC Grand Rapids, and The Island FC For more information about MLS NEXT Pro, visit mlsnextpro.com
