MLS: FC Cincinnati named a expansion franchise to begin in 2019, making 26 teams planned

FC Cincinnati, currently a USL club based in Cincinnati, Ohio (USA), has been named a MLS expansion franchise, announced the North American soccer league on 29/05/2018. The club, which was founded and began play in the USL in 2016, will join MLS for the 2019 season, as the 24^th team in the league.

"FC Cincinnati’s managing owner is Carl H. Lindner III, the co-CEO of Cincinnati-based American Financial Group, which owns Great American Insurance. Among Lindner’s partners are Scott Farmer, Chairman and CEO of Cintas Corp., and George Joseph, President of Joseph Toyota and Principal of other automobile dealerships in Greater Cincinnati, as well as members of the Lindner family and other regional business and civic leaders," stated MLS in a press release.

"The expansion side, which will continue as FC Cincinnati when it joins MLS, plans to play at Nippert Stadium (built for American football, 40,000 capacity) until 2021, when a new 21,000-seat soccer stadium in Cincinnati's West End neighborhood is expected to be completed," added MLS on 29/05/2018.

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