Nashville SC spent two seasons in the USL Championship before joining MLS as an expansion team in 2020.
Nashville SC’s inaugural MLS match on February 29, 2020, saw them host Atlanta United at Nissan Stadium in front of 59,069, the highest attended soccer event in Tennessee. US national team centre back Walker Zimmerman scored Nashville’s first league goal in a 2-1 loss.
Nashville now play home matches at Geodis Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the US with a capacity of 30,000.
Having played in the Champions Cup in 2024 where they reached the Round 16 but lost to Inter Miami, Nashville will be looking to go further with their second appearance.
In July 2024 Nashville hired former US national team interim coach B.J. Callaghan who began with one of the longest unbeaten streaks across all competitions in MLS history, spanning 15 matches from April 26 to July 12.
It was a season that saw Nashville win the U.S. Open Cup beating Austin 2-1 in the final and notching the first major professional sports championship in Tennessee history. The Open Cup win qualified for the 2026 edition of the Champions Cup.
Callaghan is only the club’s second head coach in its history, taking over from Gary Smith. He has transformed the club from a conservative, counter-attacking side into a proactive, possession-oriented team, with a management style focused on a high-pressing mentality built off of a hungry team culture.
Under Callaghan, Nashville has shifted from an older, defensive-focused roster to a faster, younger team.
Up front Hany Mukhtar is the centerpiece of the attack, critical to unlocking defenses, while Sam Surridge has been a key goalscorer, including top scoring in the 2025 Open Cup.
For 2026 Callaghan has boosted his midfield with the signing of Cristian Espinoza who will be a marquee creator in the attacking third. Patrick Yazbek has been brought in to control the midfield and improve possession progression.
At the back Walker Zimmerman is still the bedrock of the defense, though now managing a transitional, younger squad around him. Chris Applewhite is a young, homegrown defender who is rapidly making his mark.