Community connection powers Chattanooga FC: "It's something special"

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The Scenic City is a soccer city. 

When Chattanooga FC open their 2027 season, there will be a star above their crest, the result of a storybook 2026 campaign that started with a largely new roster and a club-legend interim coach embarking on a "show me" season after taking the reins late in preseason camp. 

How it ended with confetti showers and fireworks at Finley Stadium was, in no small part, the product of a tight-knit community creating a palpable way of being that's associated with the club. 

In one fell swoop, Chattanooga FC delivered their city's first-ever professional sports championship, a national-level soccer title, and garnered a record-setting crowd for an MLS NEXT Pro Cup final.

And of course, they're the first-ever independent MLS NEXT Pro team to appear in, host, and win the league's showcase spectacle.

One of a kind

At the heart of Chattanooga FC's identity is companionship between club and community, and it's evident in their matchday traditions. 

Prior to kickoff, club owners and front-office leaders will pop out to the tailgate to greet CFC's supporters before they march into the stadium. 

On their way in, the Chattahooligans know where club staffers are posted and take a moment to fist-bump or high-five them as they make their signature walk to Section 109. 

When the match is over, it's usual for the CFC squad and their families to unwind in the stadium lounge with fans and their families. 

Not for a promotional meet-and-greet, nor a perk for buying elevated tickets. 

Anyone at any given game is welcome to come on in. 

"I'm long in this business, and I cannot remember experiencing anything like this," goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović told MLSNEXTPro.com. "After the games, going into a lounge with the fans and being with them, win, lose, or draw...it's a big thing here, and I see it growing and growing."

Well-qualified to speak on the topic, Jakupović, 42, just completed his 22nd professional season and spanned 10 clubs across the globe before his unlikely path to suiting up for CFC.

"This is a good thing for the players and a big motivation," he continued. "...At the end of the day, we are here because of them."

When the Boys in Blue look up at the stands, they know, down to the individual, who is cheering them on.

"Some clubs say they care, but when it's time to put the money where their mouth is, you don't see the return," added defender Tate Robertson. "The ROI on the players to the fans and fans to the players is spectacular here. It's so fun to come out and play for them."

Robertson, 29, is in his second stint in Chattanooga and revitalized his résumé with a 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Best XI selection.

No matter who you ask around the club, this tradition is a unique quirk that evokes a smile and an honest response when asked about it.

For a Chattanooga newcomer, it can be a baptism into what southern hospitality looks like. 

Some also factor in the implicit accountability, sometimes taking the form of a confidence boost that comes with the face-to-face interactions. 

"It's something special," remarked first-year CFC striker Alex Krehl. "It's not every club in the world that the players will go up into the stadium after the game to sit and have a drink with the fans."

"It's great to get to sit there and talk to them. They tell you how they felt about the game. You really get to see the passion that they bring and have for the club, and it just eggs us on to do more for them as well."

Krehl, 23, represents another thing Chattanooga FC got right in their championship season.

After a five-year stint journeying through the lower divisions in Spain, Krehl departed CD Lealtad to head back home to Illinois. Unsure if he'd played his last game, Krehl took up a job as a delivery driver to get by as he contemplated what was next. 

"To be honest, I had never heard of Chattanooga in my life," he revealed.

Then, a phone call from CFC assistant coach Liam Davies came via a connection to CFC Hall of Legends member Juan Hernandez. 

"I thought my soccer career was over," admitted Krehl. "So when I got the call to come down for a tryout, I was over the moon. I was super excited to get back into playing, and I couldn't wait to get down here and try and try and make the team."

Officially signing with Chattanooga FC five days before the season, Krehl led the team with 18g/3a for a Best XI selection and nearly took the 2026 Golden Boot.

Navigating the waters of roster construction is challenging for every team on the planet, let alone an independent club. 

In MLS NEXT Pro, teams often prioritize player development or results as their measure of success, and that priority can shift many times throughout a season. 

Balancing both is ideal, of course, but in the halls of Chattanooga FC's brand-new headquarters, the emphasis is always on the win. They have had to be crafty in their talent identification to fulfill their MLS NEXT Pro Cup vision. 

"I'm a big believer there's a lot of talented players out there, and in a different context, they might come alive," CFC Chief Sporting Officer, Dr. Sebastian Giraldo, said in Sunday's celebrations.

"That's what we did. We knew some guys were good, but came here and became superstars. We believe in our staff. We believe in our crowd. We believe in our environment. So, I think it all came together for us."

Convincing Jakupović to come out of retirement last year, getting Robertson to come back for a second era, finding a diamond in the rough in Krehl- the list goes on and on. The 2026 MLS NEXT Pro champions' roster is woven with stories that resonate with Chattanooga, making it easy to be one with the fans.

Starts at the top

Frequently asked about and always sure to give a thorough answer, head coach Richard Dixon's Chattanooga story is also a community-tie factor in CFC's championship crusade. 

"As footballers, I would say this is what we dream of," Dixon said postgame. "To win championships, to be able to represent ourselves, our families, our city. To showcase our gifts and talents, and to be the last team standing, to ultimately walk away. To be the best team in MLS NEXT Pro for us, that is a big deal."

Born in Hanover, Jamaica, Dixon spent his formative soccer years in Florida and amassed a 10-year professional playing career as a defender. Chattanooga FC was his last stop, and he made history as the club's first-ever professional signing in 2020. After making 92 appearances for the Boys in Blue, he retired after the 2023 season and joined the coaching staff ahead of their inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season in 2024. 

After a late preseason shakeup with less than a month before the 2026 kickoff, Dixon was named interim head coach and oversaw the club's most successful season to date, leading to the full-time head coach appointment in August when the team was amid a torrid 11-game unbeaten run. 

"Knowing the origins of CFC..." continued Dixon. "Where it started, and the transformation of the club through the years to now be here in this very moment to call ourselves champions...It's kind of surreal to even say. It's a big deal for us, and it's down to the hard work and 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 grassroots, and now it's grown into this fantastic thing. I'm grateful for it all."