Cumberland announces 2026 fall men’s soccer slate featuring Grand View showdown

Photo / Cumberland University Athletics

LEBANON, TN — The Cumberland University men’s soccer program has unveiled its 2026 fall schedule, highlighted by marquee nonconference matchups and a high-profile trip to Des Moines, Iowa, to take on defending national champion Grand View University.

Last fall, the Phoenix put together what the program is calling its best season in history. Cumberland won its first-ever National Tournament match and advanced to the final site, finishing with a 14-4-3 record. The run included two NAIA All-American First Team selections, before the season concluded with a Round of 16 exit in Orange Beach.

This year’s schedule begins with a slate of exhibition contests, with Cumberland facing NCAA Division I opponents in Louisville and Lipscomb. The regular season officially opens on August 26 with a road match against Bryan College.

Cumberland will hit the home field early, hosting Tennessee Wesleyan and Truett McConnell over the first three-day stretch of its schedule. The Phoenix will then face three straight Appalachian Athletic Conference opponents to start the year.

A demanding nonconference run follows, including back-to-back matches in Iowa against Heart of America Conference opponents. Cumberland then returns to the spotlight on September 5 against Grand View, and two days later faces William Penn University, a national quarterfinalist from last season. Mid-South Conference action begins the following weekend at home against Bethel University, the same team that defeated Cumberland in the MSC Championship match.

The month continues with road matches at University of Tennessee Southern and Freed-Hardeman, before Cumberland welcomes SCAD-Savannah on September 20. The Phoenix finish September with games at Georgetown College and Georgia Gwinnett, the latter offering another chance for revenge after Cumberland was eliminated by the Grizzlies in last season’s Round of 16.

October turns more home-focused, with Cumberland hosting four of its final five regular-season matches, beginning with Lindsey Wilson on October 2. The Phoenix close the regular season on October 24 against Campbellsville. Anticipation for the season will build as the opener approaches, with everyone eager to see if the Phoenix can match last season's heights.