Chattanooga FC Promoted Sebastian Giraldo

The club appointed Giraldo as its new Chief Sporting Officer to lead both men's and women's soccer programs.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Soccer

Chattanooga FC Promoted Sebastian Giraldo

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Chattanooga Football Club has promoted Sebastian Giraldo to the role of Chief Sporting Officer. Giraldo now oversees the men's and women's teams as well as the club's academy structure.

Why it matters

This executive appointment formalizes the club's leadership hierarchy by aligning technical and player development operations under one official. It also clarifies the reporting structure for both professional squads and the academy.

In 2025, the men's team recorded 15 wins and 56 points, while the CFC Women achieved an 8W-2L-1D record. The women's team later recorded a 4W-1D-3L finish in 2026.

The players

Sebastian Giraldo

He is the newly appointed Chief Sporting Officer at Chattanooga FC who previously served as the club's sporting director and Academy Director of Coaching.

Chad Emerson

He serves as the Chief Business Officer for Chattanooga FC and shares the club's top-level reporting structure with the new Chief Sporting Officer.

Richard Dixon

He is one of the head coaches appointed by the club to lead squads under the current sporting leadership structure.

Majo Harispuru

He serves as a head coach for the club's professional soccer operations under the guidance of the sporting department.

The details

Giraldo will work alongside Chief Business Officer Chad Emerson, with both reporting directly to club ownership. Under his previous tenure as sporting director, the men's team secured a No. 2 seed in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference in 2026.

July 2024: Sebastian Giraldo joined the club as Academy Director of Coaching.
October 2024: Giraldo was named the club's first full-time technical director.
March 2025: Giraldo was promoted to the position of sporting director.
2025: The men's team won the Southeast Division championship.
October 7, 2026: Giraldo was promoted to Chief Sporting Officer.

Season Trajectory

This appointment follows the professionalization of internal club operations within the MLS NEXT Pro league structure, which standardizes front-office roles for growing franchises. It solidifies the leadership path for a club that recently secured a high playoff seed in 2026.

Fans can expect the current coaching tandem of Richard Dixon and Majo Harispuru to continue executing the technical vision established under Giraldo. This structural stability aims to maintain the high performance levels that saw the men's team earn a No. 2 seed in 2026.

The takeaway

The consolidation of academy and professional team oversight under one executive reflects a commitment to a unified club philosophy. This structure allows the organization to streamline player development from the youth ranks to the professional level.