The Boys in Blue deliver Chattanooga's first professional national championship in history!
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (November 8, 2026) — Chattanooga FC became the first professional sport national champions in Chattanooga history on Sunday night with a 1-0 victory in front a MLS NEXT Pro Cup-record crowd of 10,228 fans at Finley Stadium.
Damien Barker John scored the winning goal in the 31st minute with a beautiful, curling effort to be named MLS NEXT Pro Cup MVP, capping off an outstanding campaign for the winger.
"We fought through it today," Barker John said in his post-match press conference. "The second half was difficult, but our grit and determination got us through. The will we had to not concede [is what I'll remember most from the night]. It's surreal. Getting that goal tonight, it really got me pumped. The team had the momentum going into half. We never gave up. It was so loud I couldn't even hear my right-back Yves [Tcheuyap]!"
The team's top scorer, Alex Krehl, created two one-vs-one chances in the first half, but LAFC 2 keeper Ethan Scally came up with outstanding saves on both occasions.
Chasing the game, the visitors had the majority of the possession in the second half, but the Boys in Blue ultimately held on to secure the city's first-ever professional national title.
Chattanooga FC also became the first independent club in league history to win MLS NEXT Pro Cup.
"We're on top of the world," Chattanooga FC Head Coach Richard Dixon said in his post-match press conference. "This is everything that we could ever dream of, to have a fantastic regular season to then bring four playoff games here to Finley to ultimately win the national championship here on our field in front of our fans in our city, words can't explain it.
"This is what we dream of, to win championships and be able to represent ourselves, our families and our city. To be the last team standing and ultimately walk away and be the best team in MLS NEXT Pro, it's a big deal for us. Knowing the origins of CFC, where it started and the transformation of the club through the years to now be here in this very moment is surreal. This is down to the effort from the guys. The original founders who started this thing; we have them to thank. They were a bunch of guys who wanted to bring soccer to Chattanooga and started as a grassroots thing and now it's grown into this fantastic thing—I'm grateful for it all."
Box Score
Chattanooga FC - LAFC 2
Finley Stadium | Chattanooga, Tenn.
Attendance: 10,228
Final score:Â
CFC: 1
LAFC 2: 0Â
Scoring summary:
31': Damien Barker John, A: Anthony Sorenson
Stats (CFC / LAFC):
Expected goals (xG): 1.20 / 1.15
Possession: 28% / 72%
Shots: 13 / 24
Shots on goal: 3 / 6Â
Blocked shots: 1 / 10
Total passes: 236 / 620
Passing accuracy percentage: 72.5 / 87.7
Corners: 3 / 13
Total crosses: 5 / 12
Offsides: 0 / 3
Goalkeeper saves: 6 / 2Â
Clearances: 21 / 7
Fouls: 6 / 14
Discipline:
76' - LAFC, Decarlo Guerra (Caution)
Lineups:
Chattanooga FC starters: Eldin Jakupović, Yves Tcheuyap, Farid Sar-Sar, Nathan Koehler, Anthony Sorenson, Isaiah Jones (Luke Husakiwsky 67'), Tate Robertson (Yuval Cohen 90'+1'), Alex McGrath (C) ( Alexis Arrúa 75'), Daniel Mangarov (Anthony Garcia 67'), Damien Barker John (Steeve Louis Jean 90'+1'), Alex Krehl
Substitutes not used: Michael Barrueta, Mattias Hanchard, Darwin Ortiz, Francis Amoateng
Head Coach: Richard Dixon
LAFC 2 starters: Ethan Scally, Skylar Kaplan, Christian Diaz, Giuliano Whitchurch, Travis Babineau (Ernesto Rodriguez 83'), Charlie Kosakoff, Jude Terry, Decarlo Guerra (C), Sebastian Nava, Tommy Mihalic, Marius Aiyenero (Nathan Mardaresco 89')
Substitutes not used: Benjamin Failla, Erick Diaz, Emir Ponciano, Lisandro Torres, Liam Lambert, Jacob Machuca, Eduardo Villeda
Head Coach:Â Fabian Sandoval
