FC Cincinnati
The Orange and Blue: From USL records to MLS Supporters' Shield champions.
FC Cincinnati is an American professional soccer club based in Cincinnati. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team was first announced on August 12, 2015, as a United Soccer League (USL) franchise which played from 2016 to 2018. On May 29, 2018, the club's ownership was awarded an MLS franchise, and the team began MLS play on March 2, 2019. The club's ownership group is led by Carl Lindner III with Jeff Berding serving as co-CEO. Currently, the role of general manager is held by Chris Albright.
- character
- Intense MLS Rivalry
- affiliation
- Eastern Conference / Supporters' Shield contenders
- first_meeting_context
- Early years of FC Cincinnati's MLS tenure (2019)
- status
- Active and Escalating
- key_atmosphere
- Electric, vocal, and travel-heavy fan support
Lore & Background
FC Cincinnati broke USL attendance records multiple times, including 24,376 on September 17, 2016, and 31,478 on September 29, 2018. The club won the USL regular season championship in 2018. In the 2017 U.S. Open Cup, FC Cincinnati defeated MLS sides Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire, setting attendance records. The club joined MLS in 2019 and won the MLS Supporters' Shield on September 30, 2023, after beating Toronto FC away 3–2.
In Their Own Story
The air inside TQL Stadium is thick with humidity and anticipation as the red-clad Atlanta supporters march down the sideline, their drums thumping in unison against the yellow noise of the home crowd. A stray ball bounces near the corner flag, triggering a momentary scuffle that quickly dissolves into a roar from both sides. As the referee blows for halftime, the score is level, but the tension suggests this game will be decided not by tactics alone, but by sheer will.
Reader's Guide
FC Cincinnati plays home matches at TQL Stadium, a 26,000-seat soccer-specific venue in the West End that opened in 2021. The club's first MLS home opener was on March 17, 2019, a 3–0 win over Portland Timbers. Key players in club history include Fanendo Adi (first Designated Player), Luciano Acosta (captain and 2023 Supporters' Shield winner), and Brenner and Brandon Vázquez (joint 18-goal scorers in 2022).
Did You Know?
- FC Cincinnati broke the USL attendance record for a home opener on April 7, 2018, with 25,667 fans.
- The club's first MLS match was a 4–1 road loss to Seattle Sounders FC on March 3, 2019.
- FC Cincinnati tied the MLS record for consecutive home wins in a single season on June 21, 2023.
- The club clinched its first playoff berth in 2022, defeating New York Red Bulls 2–1 in the first round.
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