Chattanooga Football Club Signs Defender Mattias Hanchard
Published on January 20, 2026 under MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Chattanooga FC News Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Chattanooga Football Club (CFC) announced today it has signed defender Mattias Hanchard on a one-year contract with a club option for a further year, pending federation and league approval.
Hanchard is joining CFC from Oberliga Westphalia member Rot Weiss Ahlen in Germany, where he made six appearances for the club.
Originally from Baltimore, the center-back played collegiately for the University of Pennsylvania from 2020-2023. Hanchard started all 16 matches in his final season with the Quakers and held down a defense that allowed only 12 goals in 2023.
"Mattias is brave and ambitious," said Chattanooga FC Sporting Director Sebastian Giraldo. "Going to Germany to fight in their professional system says a lot about a person. We believe he will come here and give us some pieces that we currently do not have on the roster. We expect him to be an important part of our defensive line rotation."
"We wanted to strengthen our backline and continue to evolve our recruitment profile of players," said Chattanooga FC Head Coach Chris Nugent. "He's very good in possession, has a great first touch and a willingness to get on the ball. He gives different type of passing options as well and adds another dimension to our backline and makes it very competitive."
Hanchard expressed his excitement upon signing with Chattanooga Football Club.
"I cannot wait to make my debut at Finley Stadium. I've been extremely fortunate to play in front of large crowds before, but I've heard there's nothing quite like the atmosphere in Chattanooga, and I'm incredibly excited to experience it firsthand."
The updated 2026 men's roster can be found here.
Name: Mattias Hanchard
Pronunciation: Mah-TEE-us HAN-chard
Position: Defender
Height: 6'0
Date of Birth: August 31, 2001
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Citizenship: USA and Italy
Previous club: Rot Weiss Ahlen
TRANSACTION: Chattanooga FC signs Mattias Hanchard to a one-year contract with a club option for a further year
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