CFC Open 2026 Season at Home on March 1st Against Crown Legacy
(press release)— Chattanooga Football Club will kick off its third season competing in MLS NEXT Pro by hosting Crown Legacy FC on Sunday, March 1 before welcoming the latest independent club to join the league, CT United FC, the next weekend at Finley Stadium.
Chattanooga FC will host nine MLS-affiliated clubs along with two fellow independent clubs, Carolina Core FC and CT United FC, throughout the 2026 season at Finley Stadium.
The 2026 season will see an adjustment in division alignment in the Eastern Conference with CT United joining the Northeast Division as the Eastern Conference’s 16th team (14 teams in the Western Conference), and Chicago Fire FC II joining the Southeast Division.
The first Independent Derby of 2026 will take place on the aforementioned date of March 8 as Chattanooga FC hosts CT United FC for the very first time.
The club will continue its independent rivalry with Carolina Core FC with two matches against the Foxes at Finley Stadium on Memorial Day weekend on May 24 and later in the summer on August 29. The club will face the Foxes at Truist Point on July 12.
The club will host Inter Miami CF II on the Fourth of July at 7:00 p.m.
Chattanooga FC supporters will have three away matches that are easily commutable by car when the Blues travel to Huntsville City FC on March 21 and September 9, and to Atlanta United 2 in Athens, Georgia on June 13.
The regular season schedule, which was released by MLS NEXT Pro on Wednesday, consists of 420 games with each of the 30 clubs playing 28 regular season matches, 14 home and 14 away, over a 30-week span. The regular season in MLS NEXT Pro will run from late February – the earliest start in League history – to late September.
2026 broadcast information will be shared at a later date.
More news and notes
- This will be the fifth season of MLS NEXT Pro and the earliest the league has ever started (February 27)
- 30 teams will compete in the league (27 MLS affiliates and three independents, including Chattanooga FC)
- 2026 broadcast information will be shared at a later date
- Clubs will face each divisional opponent a maximum of three times as well as other intraconference rivals to round out the schedule
- MLS NEXT Pro will continue to play through the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- All 30 teams will compete on Decision Day on Sunday, September 20 to determine the final seeding for the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs
