CFC Set to Host Chattanooga’s Biggest Ever Soccer Tournament

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) It was national signing day Wednesday, and it proved to be a big signing day of sorts for the CFC. They signed up to host a new NISA spring tournament in mid-April.
All nine league teams will come to Chattanooga, making it the biggest soccer tournament the Scenic City has ever hosted. NISA was looking for a different way to start their season in a pandemic, and CFC general manager Jeremy Alumbaugh says his club was itching to be the ‘Chattahost’.

When NISA was kicking around the idea of starting the year with a league tournament in one city, the CFC gobbled it up.
Said Alumbaugh:”We need to host this. We have the best facility. We can easily accomodate the number of teams that are going to be here, and our community is going to welcome these teams in. They’re just going to enjoy being here for those two weeks. So we kind of pushed our way to the front of the line, and said we can do this, and we think we can do a job, and I’m sure we will.”
It’ll be soccer madness at Fort Finely starting April 13th.
Said Alumbaugh:”There will be 14 matches held at Finley over 12 days. So it’s a lot of soccer. Whoever comes out victorious at the end of that tournament will earn a spot in the playoffs. This is a huge economic impact for our community. We’re going to be the focal point of soccer in the United States for two weeks. We thought this was a great opportunity and a way for us to showcase a great facility. A great soccer town.”
How bout a great soccer town of convenience.
Said Alumbaugh:”If you think about it, if the teams are secluded in a hotel like we were in Detroit, and it’s downtown, literally they could walk to the stadium on a game day if they wanted to. I mean that’s pretty unique.”
Once the tournament is over, NISA will hold a conventional spring season in May and June to determine another playoff spot. But for now, the CFC is focused on rolling out the tournament welcome mat.
Said Alumbaugh:”I’m going to say the community again. From the sports commission to Finley to everybody. Everybody is going to step up, and we’re going to put on a heck of a show.”