Things are starting to get interesting in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as MLS sides join in the Round of 32, and cupset stakes are amplified exponentially.
The last remaining MLS NEXT Pro entrant in this year's competition, Chattanooga FC, welcome Atlanta United FC to Finley Stadium on Wednesday with a spot in the tournament's Round of 16 on the line; somewhere CFC have never gone before.
“It's a huge opportunity for the players as well as the fans to see the level," Chattanooga mainstay Tate Robertson said. "I'm sure we'll pack Finley out. We don't have much to lose, so it's a 'Why not us?' mentality.
"It's soccer, anything can happen."
Viewing info:
Wednesday, April 15
Chattanooga FC vs. Atlanta United FC
7:30 p.m. ET | Paramount+ | Finley Stadium
Time to shine
The extra games and their magnitude have brought out the best in Chattanooga over the last few weeks.
Starting with a win over Kalonji Pro-Profile in the first round of USOC action, the Boys in Blue have rattled off a five-game unbeaten run, outscoring opponents 10-4 and shooting back toward the top of the Eastern Conference table in MLS NEXT Pro.
Atlanta, on the other hand, have been struggling out of the gate with only one win in their first seven matches, losing all three of their away matches. Still, a star-studded team led by their Designated Player trio of Paraguayan World Cup starter Miguel Almirón, Alexey Miranchuk, and Emmanuel Latte Lath, each getting on the scoresheet in the early part of the 2026 campaign. Head coach Tata Martino will have a choice to make: go all-out or rest his star players.
National showcase
Natively in MLS NEXT Pro, Chattanooga has gotten the better of ATL UTD 2 recently, going unbeaten against them in three matches last year, grabbing wins in back-to-back weeks at the end of last season; those last two had massive playoff stakes on the line. If Atlanta opts to rotate, there's a chance CFC sees some familiar faces.
"Now, we're in a competitive game. It's win or go home," continued Dixon. "I would say, probably the biggest game for the club and for the city, coming up on Wednesday. And for us, the main objective is to win the game. So now we have to go get our guys recovered, come back tomorrow, we train, and we have a region session to then prepare for the game on Wednesday."
Even if not an official rivalry, there is a point to prove and an opportunity for Chattanooga, collectively and individually, to showcase themselves to the country.
"It's a big chance," said Robertson. "I mean, everyone in our locker room wants to be in their locker room at the end of the day, you know?
"So it's a good it's good to show individually in these games, and we have the players to do it, but we have to have a team-first mentality, and if we're that, our players will shine, and hopefully good things happen."
