A new champion will be crowned Sunday night when Chattanooga FC hosts Los Angeles FC 2 at Finley Stadium in the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final.
Both teams enter the championship match riding high on the momentum of dramatic Conference Final victories.
Chattanooga FC erased a two-goal deficit to complete a stunning comeback, with Farid Sar-Sar scoring a stoppage-time winner to send them through as the first independent club to reach the MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final.
Meanwhile, LAFC2 battled past crosstown rivals Ventura County FC in a physical 1-0 victory, becoming the lowest-seeded team in MLS NEXT Pro history to reach the Cup Final in the process.
Now, it’s the Boys in Blue against the Black and Gold, with the MLS NEXT Pro Cup on the line and a chance for both clubs to etch their names into league history.
How to watch
The 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final will stream live on OneFootball.com and MLSNEXTPro.com (WATCH), with Spanish-language coverage also available on MLSNEXTPro.com (WATCH IN SPANISH).
Kickoff is set for Sunday, November 8, at 6 PM ET.
Players to watch
Krehl has been on a tear in 2026, delivering 20 goals and four assists across all competitions while helping the Boys in Blue become the first independent club to reach the MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final. His play during the regular season earned him a spot in the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Best XI.
With two goals in three playoff appearances, Krehl has continued to deliver in crunch time.Â
Could we see his signature high-flying fist-pump celebration one more time on Sunday, this time with a championship on the line?
Former Premier League goalkeeper, Eldin Jakupovic, has found a second wind in the Scenic City, helping Chattanooga FC reach new heights.
The 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Year has proven in 2026 that there's still plenty of magic left in those gloves after earning an honorable mention in the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Best XI alongside teammate Tate Robertson.Â
Now, the 42-year-old veteran hopes to cap off his remarkable career by bringing Chattanooga FC their first MLS NEXT Pro Cup title before possibly hanging up his gloves.
Sunday's final also brings a familiar opponent for Jakupovic, who spent the 2023 season with LAFC after transferring from Everton FC.
The Chula Vista, California, native is one to watch not only in the MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final but also as a rising talent in Major League Soccer.
Jude Terry earned the 20th spot in MLS's 2026 22 Under 22 rankings after recording two goals and one assist in 17 appearances for LAFC this season. He also earned the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Goal of the Year award with an outside-the-box rocket.
The 18-year-old's international future is just as intriguing, as he is eligible to represent the United States, Mexico, or Argentina on the international stage.
The heartbeat of the LAFC2 midfield, DeCarlo Guerra brings defensive grit and leadership every time he steps onto the pitch.
For the second consecutive year, an 18-year-old will captain a team in the MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final, following in the footsteps of recent USMNT call-up Adri Mehmeti, who led Red Bull New York II to the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Cup title.
Not bad company for the rising Black and Gold midfielder, who now has a chance to follow Mehmeti's path from young captain to MLS NEXT Pro champion.
Coaching Matchup
Chattanooga FC - Richard Dixon
Sunday could mark the culmination of a journey more than six years in the making for Richard Dixon.
Chattanooga FC signed Dixon as the club's first-ever professional player in 2020. After hanging up his boots in 2023, Dixon worked his way up the coaching ranks before signing a multi-year contract in 2026, following his role in guiding CFC through some of their most successful seasons.
"When I joined as the club's first professional signing, I was drawn here by something bigger than soccer; the vision, the community, and the club's commitment to making a positive impact. To now be entrusted with leading this team is incredibly humbling," Dixon said following his appointment as head coach.
Now, the man who helped lay the foundation for Chattanooga FC's professional era has a chance to deliver the club's greatest achievement yet on Sunday night.
LAFC2 - Fabian Sandoval
Fabian Sandoval has been part of the Black and Gold family long before taking the reins of LAFC2 in 2026.
Sandoval joined LAFC in 2017, helping to build the club's Academy program before landing a position as an LAFC2 assistant coach in 2024.
In his first season as head coach, Sandoval has taken LAFC2 to their first-ever MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final, embracing the underdog mentality every step of the way.
"As soon as we knew we were in the playoffs, we [knew] we were going to take that underdog mentality. It's been underdog mentality the whole way through. Just come in and grind." Sandoval told MLSNEXTPro.com after LAFC2 secured the Western Conference crown.
Entering the postseason as the 6th seed in the Western Conference, Sandoval's squad have defied the odds, knocking out three higher-seeded opponents on the road to become the lowest-ever seed to make a Cup Final.
Road to the Cup
Regular season record: 15W-7L-6T (4 SOW) - 56 points | 2nd in East
Playoff results:
CFC 3-1 NYCFC II | HIGHLIGHTS
CFC 3-1 CTU |Â HIGHLIGHTS
CFCÂ 3-2 CLB | Highlights | Recap
History: Since joining MLS NEXT Pro in 2024, Chattanooga FC have steadily improved each year.Â
They narrowly missed the playoffs in their inaugural season, finishing in ninth place with 45 points and falling short of a playoff spot thanks to a total-wins tiebreaker.
A year later, they took another step forward, becoming the first independent club to host an MLS NEXT Pro playoff match, although their postseason debut ended quickly at the hands of Huntsville City FC.
But 2026 has been an entirely different story for the club.Â
Chattanooga FC set club records with 56 points and 15 wins this season, earning the number two seed in the Eastern Conference before reeling off three home playoff wins to become the first independent club to reach an MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final.
Regular season record: 11W-8L-9T (3 SOW) - 45 points | 6th in West
Playoff results:
HOU 2-2 LAFC2 (SOW) | Highlights
ATX 0-1 LAFC2 | Highlights
VCFC 0-1 LAFC2 | Highlights | Recap
History: LAFC2 are making just their second playoff appearance since joining MLS NEXT Pro in 2023.
After missing the postseason in their inaugural campaign, the Black and Gold took a step forward in 2024, finishing fifth in the Western Conference before falling to St Louis CITY2 in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
Another playoff miss followed in 2025, but 2026 has brought a turnaround with new head coach Fabian Sandoval at the helm.
Entering the 2026 playoffs as the sixth seed in the West, Sandoval's squad have taken down Houston Dynamo 2, Austin FC II, and Ventura County FC, all higher seeds and all on the road, to reach their first MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final.
Now, the Black and Gold are one win away from becoming just the second team in league history to win the championship without playing a single home playoff match, following in the footsteps of Austin FC II's historic 2023 title run.
