FC Cincinnati 2026 Season Preview

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Major League Soccer

·16 February 2026

FC Cincinnati 2026 Season Preview

By MLSsoccer staff

2026 Schedule

First game/home opener: Feb. 21 - 4:45 pm ET vs. Atlanta United
Full schedule
Watch on Apple TV

Team Snapshot

FC Cincinnati have stayed in the league's top tier in recent years, winning the Supporters' Shield in 2023 and falling one point short of that same title in 2025.

OneFootball Videos

To win their ultimate prize of MLS Cup presented by Audi, they'll lean heavily on star attackers Evander and Kévin Denkey. They combined for 33 goals and 17 assists last season.

Meanwhile, center back Miles Robinson is chasing a USA roster spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Key Signings

Kristian Fletcher: The US youth international and D.C. United homegrown forward had loan stints with Swansea City and Nottingham Forest in England.
Bryan Ramírez: The Ecuadorian winger was acquired from Ecuadorian powerhouse LDU Quito, where he made over 100 appearances.
Kyle Smith: The Cincinnati native comes home after seven seasons with Orlando City, adding versatility along the backline.

Full roster

Intensity, attacking creativity, and personality. Meet Bryan Ramirez! 💪🔶🔷
– Thursday, 15 January 2026

Key Departures

Álvaro Barreal: The Argentine wingback and 2023 MLS All-Star was fully transferred to Brazilian Série A side Santos after being on loan.
Brenner: The Brazilian forward, who had 33g/8a in two stints with Cincinnati, left after his loan from Italian Serie A club Udinese expired.
Yuya Kubo: After six seasons and nearly 200 appearances with Cincinnati, the former Japanese international departed the club.
Luca Orellano: The Argentine attacker and 2024 MLS All-Star was transferred to CF Monterrey in LIGA MX.