Chattanooga FC knows its first MLS NEXT Pro playoff opponent.
After finishing the regular season with a club-record 56 points and 15 wins, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference has selected NYCFC II for the Conference Quarterfinals.
The matchup is set for Sunday, October 18 at 5 p.m. ET at Finley Stadium, giving the Boys in Blue a home playoff game as they begin their postseason run.
For Chattanooga, it’s another milestone in what has already been the most successful regular season in club history.
Chattanooga Earns the Right to Choose
The MLS NEXT Pro playoff format gives the top three seeds in each conference the opportunity to host and select their quarterfinal opponent.
Chattanooga entered the postseason as the No. 2 seed, putting the club in position to make its selection after the regular season.
The decision sends NYCFC II to Finley Stadium for a quarterfinal matchup that will feature two clubs with some history between them.
Chattanooga also enters the playoffs having established itself as one of the league’s strongest home teams.
The Boys in Blue recorded 10 home victories during the regular season, tying Austin FC II for the most double-digit home-win totals in MLS NEXT Pro.
Now, they’ll get to put that home-field advantage to the test in a win-or-go-home environment.
Chattanooga FC vs. NYCFC II: An Unbeaten Head-to-Head Record
The playoff matchup isn’t unfamiliar territory for Chattanooga.
The two teams have met three times over the past three seasons, with every meeting taking place away from Chattanooga.
The Boys in Blue have never lost to NYCFC II.
Chattanooga’s all-time record against the Pigeons stands at 1-0-2, with one victory coming via a shootout.
The most recent meeting came during the 2026 regular season.
Chattanooga and NYCFC II played to a 1-1 draw, but Chattanooga won the ensuing shootout 5-4 to claim the extra point.
That result gives the Boys in Blue another piece of confidence heading into the playoff meeting, while also offering NYCFC II a chance to change the history between the two clubs.
Chattanooga Already Has a Win Over NYCFC II
The two teams also met during the 2025 season, when Chattanooga FC earned a 1-0 victory at Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island in New York.
That result remains Chattanooga’s only regulation-time victory over NYCFC II.
The clubs’ first MLS NEXT Pro meeting came even earlier.
On March 27, 2024, Chattanooga played its first-ever away match in MLS NEXT Pro against NYCFC II at Belson Stadium in Queens.
The match ended 1-1 before NYCFC II won the shootout 4-2.
So while Chattanooga hasn’t played NYCFC II at home, the matchup has become a recurring part of the club’s MLS NEXT Pro history.
This time, the setting changes dramatically.
NYCFC II will have to travel to Finley Stadium for a playoff match against a Chattanooga team that won 10 times at home during the regular season.
The Eastern Conference Playoff Picture
Chattanooga’s quarterfinal is one of four Eastern Conference matchups scheduled for the weekend of October 16-18.
The bracket includes:
Atlanta United 2 vs. CT United FC
Friday, October 16 — kickoff TBD
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground
Columbus Crew 2 vs. New England Revolution II
Saturday, October 17 — 3 p.m. ET
ScottsMiracle-Gro Field
Chattanooga FC vs. NYCFC II
Sunday, October 18 — 5 p.m. ET
Finley Stadium
Crown Legacy FC vs. Play-in Round winner
Sunday, October 18 — 7 p.m. ET
Sportsplex at Matthews
The play-in matchup features Red Bull New York II against Huntsville City FC on October 11, with the winner advancing to face Crown Legacy.
All MLS NEXT Pro playoff matches will be streamed live on MLSNEXTPro.com and OneFootball.
A Different Kind of Preparation
Chattanooga won’t simply wait around for October 18.
The club has scheduled two behind-closed-doors matches as part of its playoff preparation.
CFC will travel to Nashville SC on October 2 before making another trip to face Austin FC II on October 11.
The closed-door matches give Chattanooga an opportunity to maintain match fitness and work through tactical preparations without the pressure or visibility of a competitive MLS NEXT Pro fixture.
The goal is to arrive at Finley Stadium ready for the intensity of knockout soccer.
What This Means for Chattanooga FC
The regular season gave Chattanooga plenty of reasons for confidence.
The club established new records for points, wins and its highest-ever MLS NEXT Pro seed.
It also finished with the league’s best regular-season finish by an independent club in MLS NEXT Pro history.
But none of those records guarantee anything once the playoffs begin.
The format changes the equation.
There is no room for a slow start or a bad night.
One match determines who advances.
For Chattanooga, the advantage is playing at home.
The Boys in Blue won 10 times at home during the regular season, and now they get their biggest home match of the year at Finley Stadium.
Community Spotlight: Protecting Home-Field Advantage
Chattanooga FC earned the right to bring its first MLS NEXT Pro playoff match to Finley Stadium, where the club won 10 times during the regular season. With NYCFC II coming to Chattanooga for the quarterfinals, the familiar surroundings and home support could become an important part of the postseason equation.
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ASN Take
Chattanooga FC couldn’t have asked for a more intriguing first playoff opponent.
NYCFC II is familiar, Chattanooga has never lost to them, and the matchup moves to Finley Stadium for the first time.
That’s important because the previous three meetings all took place on NYCFC II’s home turf.
Now the circumstances are reversed.
Chattanooga has the No. 2 seed, home-field advantage and a regular-season history that includes 10 home wins.
But the playoffs are a different test.
The 1-1 draw earlier this season showed that NYCFC II can make the matchup difficult, and the shootout victory doesn’t change the fact that the two teams were level after regulation.
The October 18 quarterfinal should provide a much clearer answer about how Chattanooga’s historic regular season translates to postseason soccer.
What Happens Next?
Chattanooga has several weeks to prepare before the quarterfinal.
The club’s two closed-door matches against Nashville SC and Austin FC II will provide the competitive preparation before the playoff opener.
Then, on October 18 at 5 p.m. ET, Chattanooga FC will host NYCFC II at Finley Stadium.
The objective is straightforward:
Win and advance.
For a club that has already rewritten its MLS NEXT Pro record book in 2026, the next opportunity is to add a playoff chapter.
Final Word
Chattanooga FC has earned the right to host its first playoff opponent.
Now it knows who that opponent will be.
NYCFC II comes to Finley Stadium on October 18, bringing a familiar matchup but an entirely different setting.
Chattanooga enters the postseason with a 10-win home record, a No. 2 seed and an unbeaten all-time record against NYCFC II.
The regular season was historic.
Now the Boys in Blue have a chance to make the postseason just as memorable.
What do you think of Chattanooga FC’s selection of NYCFC II? Share your thoughts with AtlantaSoccer.News and tell us how far you think the Boys in Blue can go in the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs.
Recommended Related AtlantaSoccer.News Stories
- Chattanooga FC Secures No. 2 Seed With Win Over Chicago Fire FC II
- Chattanooga FC vs. NYCFC II 2026 Match Recap
- Chattanooga FC’s 2025 Win Over NYCFC II at Icahn Stadium — Coverage of the 1-0 road victory at Icahn Stadium Click to open side panel for more information .
Author: Quique Lopez
Quique Lopez doesn’t just cover soccer—he deconstructs it with the precision of a veteran and the wit of a storyteller. A former player who sees the pitch as both a tactical chessboard and a cultural stage, Quique balances sharp critiques with a genuine love for the game’s soul. He’s as quick to call out the ego of a superstar as he is to find the hidden beauty in a local derby.
