FC Cincinnati

• 1. The August 12 Announcement

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  On the 12th of August 2015, a press conference in Cincinnati declared the birth of Football Club Cincinnati. John Harkes stood at the podium to announce he would coach the new club. The team planned to play its home matches inside Nippert Stadium on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Carl Lindner III represented the owners who were reported as the family behind American Financial Group. Jeff Berding served as part of the ownership group while working for the Bengals. Media outlets had been reporting rumors about a new USL club since May 2015. Speculation existed regarding how this team would relate to the existing Cincinnati Kings youth soccer organization.

  The announcement marked the start of a journey that would shatter attendance records within months. On the 16th of April 2016, FC Cincinnati drew 20,497 spectators for a rivalry game against Louisville City FC. This number broke the United Soccer League attendance record for a single match. Just over a month later, the crowd grew to 23,375 for a match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The team broke its own record again on the 17th of September 2016 when they hosted Orlando City B and drew 24,376 fans. These numbers signaled a hunger for professional soccer in Ohio that exceeded expectations for a lower-division team.

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• 2. The MLS Expansion Bid

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  Club owners began negotiations with Major League Soccer during early 2016 to secure an expansion franchise slot. Cincinnati appeared on a list of ten cities interested in joining the league between teams 25 and 28. MLS commissioner Don Garber visited the city in December 2016 to tour Nippert Stadium. He met with city officials and club leadership while complimenting the local fanbase. FC Cincinnati formally submitted their expansion bid in January 2017 along with a shortlist of potential stadium locations.

  Major League Soccer announced on the 29th of May 2018, that Cincinnati would join the league starting in 2019. Don Garber stated that without a new stadium called The Bailey, the club would not have been admitted into the top tier. Plans moved quickly to develop TQL Stadium as a 26,000-seat venue located in the West End neighborhood. Construction began in 2019 and finished by 2021. The club signed its first two MLS players in July 2018 including Fanendo Adi and Fatai Alashe. Both players were loaned back to the USL version of the team for the remainder of that season.

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• 3. The Stadium Transition

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  FC Cincinnati played home matches at Nippert Stadium from 2016 through 2020 before moving to a dedicated soccer facility. The existing stadium was designed for American football and underwent minor renovations in 2016 to accommodate the soccer team. Capacity for USL matches reached approximately 25,000 with upper level sections covered. The Bailey served as the official supporters section inside Nippert with a capacity of 1,700 seats. Fans displayed flags, tifos, and colored smoke within this designated area.

  Plans for a new soccer-specific stadium had been publicly discussed since 2016. The club purchased land in the West End neighborhood during 2018 after considering three possible sites in 2017. Construction on TQL Stadium started in 2019 and concluded in 2021. The venue hosted its first match on the 16th of May 2021 when FC Cincinnati lost 2, 3 to Inter Miami CF. The new stadium replaced the shared arrangement with the University of Cincinnati football program and provided a permanent home for the growing franchise.

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• 4. Playoff Success And Awards

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  Luciano Acosta became the club's third league MVP winner when named Most Valuable Player on the 27th of November 2023. He was also the first player from FC Cincinnati to receive this honor since joining Major League Soccer. The team advanced past New York Red Bulls in a best-of-three series format by sweeping them 2, 0. Yerson Mosquera scored an extra-time game winner against Philadelphia Union to clinch the club's first appearance in the Conference Finals. FC Cincinnati reached the Eastern Conference Finals on the 2nd of December 2023 but lost to Columbus Crew 3, 2 in extra time.

  Carl Lindner III serves as the CEO and majority owner of the team while Jeff Berding acts as co-CEO. Former Cincinnati Bengals executive Berding held the title of original president and general manager until his promotion in 2022. Scott Farmer remains another leading owner alongside the Lindner family. Chris Albright currently holds the role of general manager after being hired on the 4th of October 2021. Pat Noonan took over as head coach starting the 14th of December 2021 under the new leadership regime.

  The coaching staff saw multiple changes during the early years of the franchise.

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• 5. Ownership And Leadership Changes

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  John Harkes coached from the 12th of August 2015 through the 17th of February 2017. Alan Koch served from the 17th of February 2017 until the 7th of May 2019 when he was fired following a poor start. Ron Jans was officially hired on the 8th of August 2019 but resigned on the 17th of February 2020 amid an investigation into alleged racial slur usage. Jaap Stam coached from the 21st of May 2020 to the 27th of September 2021 before both he and interim coach Yoann Damet were relieved of their duties.

  FC Cincinnati's primary colors are orange and blue which also serve as nicknames for the team. The club recognizes several supporter groups including Auxilia One, The Pride, and Die Innenstadt. These organizations operate under a unified body called The Incline Collective responsible for community events and tifos. The march tradition began with the club's debut in the USL and remains one of the longest-running fan customs. Fans participate in an organized pre-match celebration joining gradually from base points in Over-the-Rhine and Clifton.

  Since moving to TQL Stadium in 2021, the march weaves through various points of interest

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• 6. Fan Traditions And Identity

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  in OTR and West End neighborhoods. Groups stop at Washington Park for rallies before passing Cincinnati Music Hall to enter the final leg toward the stadium. Gary the Knifey Lion serves as the official mascot introduced in 2019 prior to the inaugural MLS season. His costume features blue hair and orange fur with a crown and wings. Fans gave him his name after noticing that the lion's tail, torso, and left arm loosely spell out Gary on the team crest when read left-to-right.

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