CFC Play MLS NEXT Pro League Opener at Home March 16th
(press release) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Feb. 8, 2024) — Chattanooga Football Club will kick off its inaugural season in MLS NEXT Pro with a home match against Huntsville City FC at Finley Stadium in the first of what are sure to be many thrilling encounters throughout 2024.
Chattanooga FC will host 10 MLS-affiliated clubs and fellow newcomers and independent club Carolina Core FC at Fort Finley throughout the 2024 season. CFC will also play an international opponent away from home for the first time in club history when it faces Toronto FC II on Sunday, September 29.
Chattanooga FC fans will have six away matches that are commutable by car in one day when it travels to Atlanta United 2 (once), Huntsville City FC (twice), Crown Legacy FC in Charlotte (twice) and Carolina Core FC (once).
CFC will also be hosting matches for all of the major summer holiday weekends:
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May 25, Memorial Day Weekend — Opponent: Atlanta United 2
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July 6, Independence Day Weekend — Opponent: Crown Legacy FC
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September 1, Labor Day Weekend — Opponent: Atlanta United 2
The regular season schedule, which was released by Major League Soccer NEXT Pro on Thursday, consists of 406 games with each of the 29 clubs playing 14 home and 14 away matches. The regular season in MLS NEXT Pro will run from mid-March to early October.
2024 Chattanooga FC Schedule
| DATE | OPPONENT | HOME/AWAY | TIME (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, March 16 | Huntsville City FC | Home | 3:00 PM |
| Saturday, March 23 | FC Cincinnati 2 | Home | 3:00 PM |
| Wednesday, March 27 | New York City FC II | Away | 7:30 PM |
| Saturday, April 13 | Inter Miami CF II | Home | 5:00 PM |
| Wednesday, April 17 | Atlanta United 2 | Away | 7:30 PM |
| Saturday, April 20 | Huntsville City FC | Away | 8:00 PM |
| Saturday, April 27 | Carolina Core FC | Home | 7:00 PM |
| Saturday, May 4 | Orlando City B | Home | 5:00 PM |
| Friday, May 10 | Inter Miami CF II | Away | 5:00 PM |
| Wednesday, May 15 | Crown Legacy FC | Away | 7:30 PM |
| Saturday, May 25 | Atlanta United 2 | Home | 7:00 PM |
| Saturday, June 1 | New England Revolution II | Home | 7:00 PM |
| Friday, June 7 | Chicago Fire II | Away | 7:00 PM |
| Thursday, June 13 | Orlando City B | Away | 7:00 PM |
| Saturday, June 22 | Carolina Core FC | Home | 7:00 PM |
| Saturday, July 6 | Crown Legacy FC | Home | 7:00 PM |
| Thursday, July 11 | Philadelphia Union II | Away | 6:00 PM |
| Wednesday, July 17 | Carolina Core FC | Away | 6:30 PM |
| Saturday, July 27 | Orlando City B | Home | 7:00 PM |
| Saturday, Aug. 3 | Toronto FC II | Home | 7:00 PM |
| Saturday, Aug. 10 | Huntsville City FC | Away | 8:00 PM |
| Sunday, Aug. 18 | Crown Legacy FC | Away | 5:00 PM |
| Sunday, Aug. 25 | Inter Miami CF II | Away | 7:00 PM |
| Sunday, Sept. 1 | Atlanta United 2 | Home | 7:00 PM |
| Sunday, Sept. 8 | Columbus Crew 2 | Home | 3:00 PM |
| Sunday, Sept. 21 | New England Revolution II | Away | 3:00 PM |
| Sunday, Sept. 29 | Toronto FC II | Away | 3:00 PM |
| Sunday, Oct. 6 | New York Red Bulls II | Home | 1:00 PM |
More news and notes
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Two new independent clubs begin play this season: Carolina Core FC and Chattanooga FC
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Opening weekend in MLS NEXT Pro will be March 15-17, highlighted by Chattanooga FC playing its first MLS NEXT Pro match on Saturday March 16 against Huntsville City FC
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Each club will play division opponents three times to foster more regional rivalries
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There will be no cross-conference play
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Decision Day will be on October 6 (All Eastern Conference matches at 1:00 p.m. ET, Western Conference at 4:00 p.m. ET)—28 of the 29 teams will compete on Decision Day to determine final playoff positioning, with eight teams in each conference qualifying for the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs
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All Decision Day matches will air live on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app
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Playoffs will begin on the weekend of October 18
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Eight teams will qualify for the playoffs from each conference
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Playoffs will consist of three rounds before Cup (Final)
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This year’s postseason will see 15 total matches, including MLS NEXT Pro Cup
Pick-your-opponent playoff format
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The 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs will feature the return of the “pick-your-opponent” format debuted during the 2023 postseason
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Eight teams will qualify for the playoffs from each conference, with seeds No. 1-4 from each conference selecting their opponents in the first round—there will be no first round bye for the No.1 seed)
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In the second round only the highest remaining seed in each conference will select an opponent from any of the remaining three teams
