CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – North Carolina and SMU advanced to the title game of the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Championship with semifinal victories on Thursday night at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.
 
No. 7 seed North Carolina downed No. 11 seed NC State, 1-0, in the opener, and No. 1 seed SMU followed by knocking off No. 13 seed Syracuse, 3-0.
 
The championship match will be broadcast on ESPNU on Sunday, November 15, at 4 p.m. ET.
 
SMU and UNC did not play in the regular season. North Carolina is aiming for its fifth ACC title and its first since 2011. As the 7-seed, UNC also is looking to match the lowest seed to win the ACC Championship after SMU won the 2025 title as the 7-seed. The Mustangs are looking to become the ACC’s first repeat champion since Wake Forest in 2016 and 2017.
 
In a tightly-contested, physical, defensive battle, UNC (10-2-6) broke through in the 63rd minute when Bertil Rygaard Hansen crossed a ball into the box to ACC Offensive Player of the Year Joschi Schelb, who deftly took a touch to keep the ball in the air and then turned and ripped a volley inside the far post for his league-leading 17th goal of the season. The teams combined for just 12 shots, with each NC State dropped to 7-6-6 with the loss.
 
SMU (14-0-3) earned a penalty kick in the 44th minute after Jaylinn Mitchell was fouled in the box. Mukisa Emmanuel stepped to the spot and buried the penalty for his ninth goal of the season. The Mustangs doubled their lead in the 57th minute when Andre Philibbosian launched a missile from just outside the top of the box, his third goal of the year. Stephen Soghomonian tacked on a third goal in the 66th minute with his own rocket from outside the box, as he scored his team-leading 12th goal of the season. Syracuse fell to 8-8-3 with the defeat.
 
Tickets are available for the title games of the 2026 ACC Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships, which will be contested on Sunday. Championship game tickets are $25 in advance and $30 on gameday, with access to both matches. Tickets are only available online and no walk-up sales will be available.
 
Exclusive group pricing is also available for groups of 20 or more, along with unique on-field opportunities. For details, visit theACC.com/groups or contact tickets@theacc.org.
 
2026 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship (all times are Eastern)
First Round – Wednesday, Nov. 4
No. 12 Stanford 2, at No. 5 Louisville 1
at No. 3 Wake Forest 1, No. 14 Boston College 1 (2OT; WF 6-5 PK)
No. 11 NC State 2, at No. 6 Virginia Tech 1
at No. 7 North Carolina 1, No. 10 California 1 (2OT; UNC 4-3 PK)
at No. 2 Clemson 2, No. 15 Duke 1
No. 13 Syracuse 1, at No. 4 Pitt 1 (2OT; SU 7-6 PK)
No. 9 Virginia 2, at No. 8 Notre Dame 2 (2OT; UVA 5-4 PK)

Quarterfinals – Sunday, Nov. 8
No. 7 North Carolina 3, at No. 2 Clemson 2 (2OT)
No. 11 NC State 1, at No. 3 Wake Forest 0 (OT)
at No. 1 SMU 6, No. 9 Virginia 0
No. 13 Syracuse 2, at No. 12 Stanford 1 (2OT)

Semifinals – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C. – Thursday, Nov. 12
No. 7 North Carolina 1, No. 11 NC State 0
No. 1 SMU 3, No. 13 Syracuse 0

Final – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C. – Sunday, Nov. 15
No. 7 North Carolina vs. No. 1 SMU | 4 p.m. | ESPNU