Chattanooga is once again on the national soccer stage.
Once again, it appears the city will not disappoint.
More than 14,000 tickets have been sold to Friday night’s friendly between the United States men’s national team and Jamaica, according to Finley Stadium executive director Paul Smith, which already makes it the third-largest soccer crowd in Chattanooga history and the largest outside of August.
The U.S. women’s team routed Costa Rica 7-2 before 20,535 drenched fans on Aug. 19, 2015, which topped the staggering 18,227 spectators who just 10 days earlier saw the Chattanooga Football Club fall 3-2 to the New York Cosmos “B” in the National Premier Soccer League championship match.
“Everybody is now seeing what we’ve always known down here, which is that we put on a great show and that we’re great hosts as a community,” Chattanooga FC general manager Sean McDaniel said. “We leave our differences at the door and for 90 minutes hold hands, sing, cheer and are unified around the spirit of soccer.