CINCINNATI – FC Cincinnati will begin its on-field preparations for the 2019 season in January as it readies for its inaugural campaign in Major League Soccer
During its preseason preparations, FC Cincinnati will take two team training trips and is expected to play in as many as seven exhibitions. The team will travel to both Bradenton, Florida, and Charleston, South Carolina, for training activities, as well as multiple games in each locale.
“We’re very excited to announce our plans for our preseason training,” FC Cincinnati Head Coach Alan Koch said. “We’re fully invested in building our first MLS roster these next two months, and we expect to have an almost-complete group when we gather everyone in Cincinnati in January. From there, we have a lot of work to do to get everyone acclimated to our club’s culture and dynamic. Taking two longer trips – training and living together for longer stretches – brings everyone together and is a great way to start a year, especially as an expansion team adding so many new faces.
“In terms of competition, we’ve scheduled a nice mix of opponents throughout our six-week preseason. The games will help us build match fitness, and they will also test us and help us hone our system of play before we formally start the MLS season,” Koch said.
After the newly formed FC Cincinnati team arrives in Cincinnati to open preseason camp, the team will depart on Saturday, Jan. 26 for a 15-day stay at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
While in Bradenton, FCC is scheduled to play three exhibitions: Jan. 30 against the Montreal Impact, Feb. 2 vs. the Colorado Rapids and Feb. 7 against Swedish power Malmo FF. The squad is scheduled to return to Cincinnati on Saturday, Feb. 9.
The Orange and Blue will spend four days based back home in the Queen City – which is scheduled to include a day trip to Indianapolis to scrimmage against USL club Indy Eleven in Westfield, Indiana, on the afternoon of Tuesday, Feb. 12 – before departing for the Charleston Challenge Cup, hosted by the Charleston Battery in Charleston, South Carolina, on Thursday, Feb. 14.
FC Cincinnati will spend 11 days in Charleston, and is currently scheduled to play three games at MUSC Stadium, including matches against the Battery on Saturday, Feb. 16, and MLS’ Chicago Fire on Wednesday, Feb. 20. The opponent for the third match will be announced at a later date.
FCC will return back to Cincinnati on Sunday, Feb. 24, and will then begin preparations for the official start of the 2019 MLS season. The league is expected to announce key dates related to the 2019 season – including the player report date and the official season start date – in the coming weeks and months.
FC Cincinnati’s 2019 Preseason Schedule
TBA (mid-January) – Players report to Cincinnati
Jan. 26 through Feb. 9: Bradenton, Fla.
- Saturday, Jan. 26 – Depart for IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.
- Wednesday, Jan. 30 – 7 p.m. vs. Montreal Impact (IMG Academy)
- Saturday, Feb. 2 – 10:30 a.m. vs. Colorado Rapids (IMG Academy)
- Thursday, Feb. 7 – 7 p.m. vs. Malmo FF (IMG Academy)
- Saturday, Feb. 9 – Return to Cincinnati
Tuesday, Feb. 12 – at Indy Eleven (Westfield, Ind.)
Feb. 14 through Feb. 24: Charleston, S.C.
- Thursday, Feb. 14 – Depart for Charleston, S.C.
- Saturday, Feb. 16 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Charleston Battery (MUSC Stadium)
- Wednesday, Feb. 20 – 7:30 p.m. vs. Chicago Fire (MUSC Stadium)
- Saturday, Feb. 23 – 5 p.m. vs. TBA (MUSC Stadium)
- Sunday, Feb. 24 – Return to Cincinnati
More information about the team’s preseason schedule, including daily training sessions and potential streaming information for games, will be released ahead of each segment of preseason.
The next time Cincinnati takes the field, it will be as MLS’ 24th team in 2019 when the club debuts in the top professional league in the U.S. and Canada. Season tickets for the 2019 season are now on sale at fccincinnati.com/tickets.
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. For more information about FC Cincinnati tickets - including 2019 season tickets - call 513-977-KICK (5425) or visit fccincinnati.com/tickets.
