NEW YORK, NEW YORK (November 1, 2026) – MLS NEXT Pro announced today that the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Cup will be held on Sunday, November 8, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Eastern Conference Champion Chattanooga FC will host Western Conference Champion LAFC 2 at Finley Stadium (6 p.m. ET). Chattanooga FC makes its first MLS NEXT Pro Cup appearance in its third year in the League, becoming the first independent club in MLS NEXT Pro history to advance to the championship match. Meanwhile, LAFC 2 will compete in the League Final for the first time in club history.
No. 2 Chattanooga FC erased a two-goal deficit and scored the game-winning goal in second-half stoppage time to capture the Eastern Conference Championship Sunday night. Chattanooga defeated the inaugural champions, No. 4 Columbus Crew 2, 3-2, at Finley Stadium - claiming the club’s first hardware in MLS NEXT Pro. No. 6 LAFC 2 was crowned Western Conference Champions Friday night after besting Ventura County FC (LA Galaxy affiliate), 1-0, at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Cup will air live with an enhanced broadcast on MLSNEXTPro.com and OneFootball. Josh Eastern will provide play-by-play and will be joined by analyst Calen Carr in the booth, supported by Isaiah Reid on the sideline. MLS NEXT Pro Cup will also be broadcast in Spanish on MLSNEXTPro.com, with Ramon Chavez calling the action alongside Carlos Suarez.
Conference Finals Results
With the opportunity to host the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Cup in the balance, No. 2 Chattanooga FC hosted No. 4 Columbus Crew 2 in the Eastern Conference Final on Sunday night. The visitors struck twice in five minutes through Chase Adams and Kevin Gbamblé to give the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Cup champions Columbus Crew 2 a two-goal lead within the opening 20 minutes. Chattanooga FC responded just before halftime, as Alex McGrath scored in first-half stoppage time. The hosts continued to rally in the second half, as Damien Barker John scored in the 71st minute to draw the match level. Looking like the match was headed for extra time, Farid Sar-Sar scored the game-winning goal in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time to seal the comeback and book Chattanooga FC’s first trip to MLS NEXT Pro Cup.
In the Western Conference Final on Friday, October 30, No. 6 LAFC 2 went on the road to upset No. 3 Ventura County FC, 1-0, in a match between fierce rivals. The Playoff edition of “El Trafichico” saw both teams control portions of the match before Marius Aiyenero broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute with a deftly scored goal. The goal marked Aiyenero’s second goal of the 2026 Playoffs and established a lead that LAFC 2 defended through the final whistle to claim the club’s first-ever MLS NEXT Pro trophy.
How They Got Here
No. 2 Chattanooga FC defended home field advantage throughout the Playoffs, defeating No. 6 New York City FC II, 3-1, in the Quarterfinals, and repeated the scoreline in the Semifinal round against fellow independent club, No. 7 CT United FC. Chattanooga FC defeated No. 4 Columbus Crew 2 to improve to 3-0 in the postseason and become the first independent team to ever compete in MLS NEXT Pro Cup.
No. 6 LAFC 2 has faced higher-seeded teams in each of its three matches in the postseason, pulling off upsets in each match en route to the Western Conference title and the club’s first MLS NEXT Pro Cup appearance. LAFC 2 defeated No. 4 Houston Dynamo 2, 4(2)-3(3), in the Quarterfinal round and stunned No. 1 Austin FC II, 1-0, in the Conference Semifinals, before defeating No. 3 Ventura County FC in the Conference Final. A true underdog of the postseason, LAFC 2 will be the lowest-seeded team to ever feature at MLS NEXT Pro Cup. If victorious at MLS NEXT Pro Cup, LAFC 2 would match Austin FC II as the only clubs to go on the road and record upsets in four consecutive matches in the Playoffs; Austin FC II became the first club in the MLS ecosystem to accomplish the feat in 2023 as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
Previous MLS NEXT Pro Cup Results:
2025: Red Bull New York II defeated Colorado Rapids 2, 3(3)-1(3)
2024: North Texas SC defeated Philadelphia Union II, 3-2
2023: Austin FC II defeated Columbus Crew 2, 3-1
2022: Columbus Crew 2 defeated St Louis CITY2, 4-1
Complete details on the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs are available at MLSNEXTPro.com.
