It's been a fun ride for Chattanooga FC in 2026, and Sunday brings a momentous occasion at Finley Stadium. CFC will play for its first MLS NEXT Pro Cup appearance in the Eastern Conference Final against Columbus Crew 2 (5 PM ET Sunday, Nov. 1 | MLSNEXTPro.com, OneFootball).
CFC come into the East final as the highest-scoring team in the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro playoffs. Finley Stadium has been a fortress in 2026, with CFC keeping a 10W-2L-2T record at home in the regular season.
Season series
CFC won 2-0 in the only meeting with Crew 2 of the 2026 season. However, that was all the way back on March 28.
Player spotlight
Scoring in both of CFC's playoff games, Chattanooga FC striker Alex Krehl continues to provide for the Boys in Blue as he did in his regular-season Golden Boot runner-up campaign.
Versatile defender/midfielder Tate Robertson was in his bag in the semifinals, scoring a bar-down direct free kick from distance. Can he produce another moment of magic?
Playoff narrative
CFC has looked like the most dominant team in this season's playoffs so far, with a pair of 3-1 wins. Some of the regular season's top performers have already fallen in these playoffs. That means CFC would host the final if it wins Sunday.
This year's East final is a matchup between a club charting new territory and a stalwart. In Crew 2, CFC host one of the league's most vaunted clubs come playoff time. Crew 2 has made the Eastern Conference final each year, except for 2025.
