CHATTANOOGA, TN —— Scenic City SC hosts new outfit Cleveland United FC this Saturday in the opening game of the National Soccer Network’s 2026 Chattanooga Challenge. The match kicks off at 7:00 p.m. at Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts.
The Chattanooga Challenge brings together several regional UPSL and APSL clubs while supporting charitable organizations in the local area, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Chattanooga Sports Ministries and City Fields (Cleveland, TN), organizations that use soccer to positively impact youth and families throughout the region.
Scenic City SC:
(2nd photo of Scenic City team, Photo credit: Evan Strand | Instagram: @shotsbystrand)
Scenic City come into the game off a successful 2025. In Spring of last year, they won the USPL Georgia Division One and earned promotion to the Premier Division. In the Fall, they fielded a pair of sides in both the Premier Division and a II side in the Division One. Their first season in the top-flight saw them finish an impressive fourth place (out of eight clubs) in Georgia Zone 2, in spite of a number of injuries. In the Division One, Scenic City II finished in fifth place (out of nine clubs) in Georgia North. I spoke with Head Coach Josh Luff about the pre-season and expectations for Saturday and the tournament as a whole.
How has the pre-season been?
It’s been good, we had enough guys for a Premier and a Division 1 team. I wasn’t sure how it would pan out with a lot of the High School guys leaving for spring school soccer, but the numbers are great. There’s some new faces in the mix, which is nice. This comes with its own set of challenges in terms of building chemistry and getting guys up to speed. For our Premier side, we’re building on a lot from last year. We’ve had just about everyone return, which is great, and a few new guys that will add value, especially as the season progresses.
Do you feel you’ve solidified your squad now, or will you be hoping to bring in a few more faces?
The core of the Premier side is pretty solidified. But we’re still looking for a few more, if we can find the right players. We’re always open to new folks, but it’s got to be the right fit for both sides. For Division One, what we’re excited about is the opportunity to take new guys, see how they progress, strengthen themselves and into the Fall when we get a lot of the High School guys back. I’m excited longer-term for that group.
Will it mainly be the Premier or the Division One side that takes the field on Saturday?
For the Chattanooga Challenge it will be a mix. We’ll assemble a squad with half the players coming from the Premier and the other half from the Division One tram. With a mix of the two, we’re interested to see how they play together.
After a long, and cold, off-season, you must be excited to finally kick things off tomorrow.
Yeah, but the work of coaching a team changes from one type of work to another between the offseason and the regular season. In off season you’re doing a lot in terms of preparation and recruitment, you’re never twiddling your thumbs.
What are you hoping to see from your team on the field tomorrow?
The biggest thing I am looking out for is to see if they can implement the things we’ve been working on in practice. Pre-season can help us to continue to build chemistry, practice possessing well, and making smart decisions. I want the guys to work together as a unit, playing together as 11 teammates and not 11 individuals, in all four phases of the game.
What are you hoping for from the tournament in general?
Everyone wants to win—winning is great. But for us, the Chattanooga Challenge is also about building awareness in the community of all the positives that have come from this group. We hope people will see the year‑over‑year growth in our players. Think back to last season: where they started, and where they are now. There’s still plenty of room to improve, of course, but the progress—both as players and as individuals—is real. We’re seeing them grow as young men: developing self‑discipline, awareness, accountability, and bringing the right attitudes into everything they do. What matters now is how we continue to build on that attitude shift and those habits, both as a group and for each player individually. It will also be meaningful for the students to see how this growth translates into their grades, their work, and their lives beyond soccer. The most rewarding part is watching them take the principles they learn here and apply them elsewhere—seeing improvements not just on the field, but in all aspects of their lives.
(3rd photo - Head Coach Adam Christensen (R) takes charge of Cleveland United’s tryouts. Photo credit: Cleveland United FC)
Saturday will mark the occasion of Cleveland United’s first ever game. The founding of the club was announced last October and they will compete in the USL Division One this Spring. When I spoke with new Head Coach Adam Christensen in January, he talked about the challenges of building a squad and a playing culture from scratch. More recently I caught up with Coach Christensen to talk about Saturday’s game.
How has the pre-season been?
How I’d expected it. New team, new group. They’re very much trying to figure each other out. If we have guys who show up on Saturday, we’re gonna be fine. If not, then I am gonna reevaluate my life!
Do you feel you’ve solidified your squad now, or will you be hoping to bring in a few more faces?
We’ll be missing a few guys that can’t be there [on Saturday]. It’s a decent group. But if someone is still looking to join, we’re happy to evaluate to see if they fit the group. But I think we have a decent team.
You recently announced the club’s first signed player, Stone Davies. What can fans expect of him?
He grew up in Cleveland, played here his whole life. He’s a solid midfielder. When tryouts came, he was the best player on the field. It was super exciting to make that connection, convince him to come join us, and show what he can do.
You must be excited to finally kick things off tomorrow.
At the beginning of the year, you think it’s all okay. Then you step onto the field, and all your ideas and plans and what you wanted to do can get thrown out the window. So now we get to see if it all works. If you’re not a little nervous and don’t have some butterflies, you shouldn’t be doing this.
What are you hoping to see from your team on the field tomorrow?
I wans them to show up, enjoy playing together, and see their relationships work. We’ve seen it in practice. If we see that and some passion, I will be happy.
How does it feel to be coaching a club in its first ever game?
Terrifying, haha. No, it’s good. Albert [Murza, the co-Founder] and the team have put a ton of time and effort into it. It becomes your baby, it’s what you think about, what you care about. But you won’t know until whistle blows twice.
What are you hoping for from the tournament in general?
Hoping for a great preseason against some quality competition, and seeing how we actually stack up. That’s the takeaway I want. Where were at, then look to change, to fix, to add new names.
I also asked Albert Murza for some of his thoughts, seeing his vision for Cleveland United take shape.
How have the club preparations for the tournament been?
Preparations have been strong from the start. The group has been working hard across the board—from the coaching and tactical staff to getting valuable game-like experience in training. For a new club, the commitment and intensity from the players has been exactly what we hoped to see.
You must be thrilled to see your vision come to life this Saturday. What are your feelings heading into the match?
Absolutely. The other founders and I are incredibly excited. This is our first away match, and it really brings everything full circle. The initial conversations about starting Cleveland United FC happened last March, and now we’re here competing with a team on the field. It’s a big moment for all of us.
What are you hoping to see from Adam’s boys on the field?
This is preseason, so while we always want to compete and win, our priority is development and identity. We want to see connections forming between players and how they respond to real, active competition. This is about laying the foundation for where we’re headed. If the result goes our way, that’s a bonus, but the growth is the main goal.
NSN Chattanooga Challenge 2026 Schedule:
(4th photo/NSN graphic)
February 7: Scenic City SC vs. Cleveland United FC, 7:00 p.m. — Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts
February 12: Potros FC vs. Red Top SC, 8:30 p.m. — Hubert Park
February 15: Tango FC vs. Scenic City SC, 5:00 p.m. — McMinn BiCentennial Park
February 17: Georgia United FC vs. Potros FC, 9:00pm. — Mud Creek Soccer Complex
February 19: Red Top SC vs. Georgia United FC, 8:00 p.m. — LakePoint Soccer Complex (Field 3)
February 21: Cleveland United FC vs. Tango FC — Location and time to be announced
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