Chattanooga Football Club (CFC) announced today that the club’s Primary Owner and Chairman of the Board of Directors Davis Grizzard and his family have decided to fully fund the club’s first season of MLS NEXT teams.
CFC announced that it would officially join MLS NEXT in April 2024. Initially the club announced the launch of two elite youth teams - U13 (2013 birth year) and U14 (2012 birth year) - entering MLS NEXT, the top youth soccer development league in North America, starting in the 2025-2026 season. Since then, the club announced an additional U15 (2011 birth year) team that will begin competing in the 2025-2026 MLS NEXT season as well.
The club’s U13-U15 MLS NEXT teams will be an important step in the club’s pre-professional player pathway.
MLS NEXT is the highest level of youth soccer available in North America and provides the best player development experience. Founded on a collaborative approach to governance and a commitment to innovation, MLS NEXT players have access to the highest levels of competition and to training to prepare them for their futures, both in soccer and in life.
The club has brought in elite coaches with the highest qualifications available to help lead the launch of the MLS NEXT platform and recently announced the complete technical staff for its inaugural season in MLS NEXT.
“CFC’s mission has always been to help improve the lives of Chattanoogans through the vehicle of soccer,” said CFC Primary Owner Davis Grizzard. “This decision aligns with our values and we’re excited to see how it will impact the growth and the youth pathways of our club for many years to come.”
“This marks a transformative milestone for our club, our athletes, and the future of youth soccer across our region,” said Chattanooga FC Sporting Director Sebastian Giraldo. “We are profoundly grateful to the Grizzard family for recognizing the vital role this initiative plays in shaping not just athletic talent, but lives. By removing the number one barrier to access in elite sport, we’re unlocking new pathways for sustainable development, equity, and long-term excellence in our community.”
The funding from the Grizzard family, which covers several thousand dollars per athlete that will be in the MLS NEXT environment, has a multitude of benefits for the future of soccer in Chattanooga. It increases the access and equity for families, facilitates higher talent development and improves the overall welfare and holistic support of the athletes.
Players will be represented from Chattanooga, North Georgia and the greater region, but the club expects this move to attract players from across the country.
Interested families and players are invited to complete the form HERE.