FC Cincinnati announced today the club’s protected list for the 2021 MLS Expansion Draft, which will be conducted Tuesday, December 14 at 7 p.m. ET.
As 2022 expansion club Charlotte FC prepare to begin MLS play next season, the team may select up to five players in preparation for their inaugural season. However, only a single player can be drafted from any one club.
Clubs can protect 12 players from their Senior, Supplemental, and Reserve rosters. Generation adidas players who have not been graduated at the end of the 2021 MLS Season and Homegrown Players (ages 25 and under – born in or after 1996) on a club’s roster at the end of the 2021 MLS Season are automatically protected. Clubs do not have to use a protected slot on them.
The full list of protected players will be available at MLSSoccer.com.
FC Cincinnati Protected List:
- Luciano Acosta
- Isaac Atanga
- Álvaro Barreal
- Tyler Blackett
- Brenner
- Geoff Cameron
- Nick Hagglund
- Ronald Matarrita
- Haris Medunjanin
- Kyle Scott
- Gustavo Vallecilla
- Brandon Vázquez
Automatically Protected FC Cincinnati Players:
- Zico Bailey (Homegrown)
- Calvin Harris (Generation adidas)
- Ben Mines (Homegrown)
- Arquimides ‘Quimi’ Ordonez (Homegrown)
- Beckham Sunderland (Homegrown)
Further Key Parameters
2021 MLS Expansion Draft Process:
- Five Rounds: Charlotte FC may select up to five players from the eligible pool of players, claiming only a single player from any one club.
- Selection clock: Charlotte FC will be permitted three minutes for each selection.
- Timeouts: No timeouts
- Trades: No trades are permitted during the 2021 MLS Expansion Draft.
General Allocation Money (GAM):
- Charlotte FC will receive an additional sum of General Allocation Money as compensation for 5 exempt teams which had players picked in the 2020 MLS Expansion Draft, protected Homegrown players, and the 12 protected players per team in the MLS Expansion Draft consistent with prior expansion clubs.
- Any club that has a player claimed from their unprotected roster will receive $50,000 in General Allocation Money.
For further rules and procedures on the 2021 MLS Expansion draft, visit the official MLS website, HERE.
FC Cincinnati begin their fourth season of MLS competition in 2022, and their second playing at TQL Stadium. For up-to-the-minute information about FC Cincinnati, visit the team’s official website at fccincinnati.com, or follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FCCincinnati. Additionally, fans are encouraged to download the team’s official mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content and match notifications.
Tickets to the home opener against D.C. United on March 5 are currently only available through Season Ticket Memberships, which are available now. Fans can get the best tickets at the best price to the best matches all season long, including the home opener, by purchasing season tickets at fccincinnati.com/tickets or by calling 513-977-KICK, that’s 513-977-5425.
