The 2019 Major League Soccer schedule has been released and with it comes FC Cincinnati’s first official season in this professional league.
FCC was established in the Queen City almost four years ago and has quickly become one of the most exciting sports teams in the region. Another season of action-packed soccer and Cincinnati’s debut into MLS will start March 2 in Seattle. The home-opener will be Sunday, March 17 at Nippert Stadium where FCC will face off against the Portland Timbers.
From March to October, each MLS team is scheduled to play 34 games. Cincinnati will play 17 of those games at Nippert. A full schedule, game tickets and season ticket packages are currently available on the FCC website.
According to a press release, FC Cincinnati is on pace to sell 20,000 season-ticket memberships before the first home game. In past seasons, FCC has averaged more than 25,000 in attendance per game and with this push into the majors, Cincinnati might see those numbers rise even higher. If these trends continue, this city could be in the top three in attendance per game across all MLS teams.
Cincinnati is entering the MLS in the Eastern Conference, which means the team is scheduled to play all other Eastern Conference teams twice, including some heated rivalry games against the Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew SC. At least seven FCC games this season will broadcast on ESPN and FOX.
It may be too early to talk about playoffs, but if this club continues to progress and impress, there will be more game dates in late October and possibly through November.
The new West End Stadium is set to be ready for action in time for the 2021 season. Until then, FCC will continue to fill and electrify Nippert Stadium.
Here's the entire season schedule (home games in bold):
- Saturday, March 2 vs. Seattle Sounders FC – 10 p.m. – FS1
- Sunday, March 10 vs. Atlanta United FC – 5 p.m. – ESPN
- Sunday, March 17 vs. Portland Timers at Nippert Stadium – 5 p.m. – FS1
- Sunday, March 24 vs. New England Revolution – 4 p.m.
- Saturday, March 30 vs. Philadelphia Union at Nippert Stadium – 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, April 7 vs. Sporting Kansas City at Nippert Stadium – 3 p.m. – ESPN
- Saturday, April 13 vs. LAFC – 10:30 p.m.
- Friday, April 19 vs. Real Salt Lake at Nippert Stadium – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, April 27 vs. New York Red Bulls – 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, May 1 vs. Philadelphia Union – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, May 4 vs. San Jose Earthquakes – 10 p.m.
- Saturday, May 11 vs. Montreal Impact at Nippert Stadium – 1 p.m. – TVA/Canada
- Sunday, May 19 vs. Orlando City SC – 5 p.m.
- Saturday, May 25 vs. New York Red Bulls at Nippert Stadium – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, June 1 vs. Colorado Rapids – 9 p.m.
- Thursday, June 6 vs. NYCFC – 7 p.m.
- Saturday, June 22 vs. LA Galaxy at Nippert Stadium – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, June 29 vs. Minnesota United FC – 4 p.m. – ESPN
- Saturday, July 6 vs. Houston Dynamo (Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati) – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, July 13 vs. Chicago Fire – 8 p.m.
- Thursday, July 18 vs. D.C. United at Nippert Stadium – 8 p.m. – ESPN
- Sunday, July 21 vs. New England Revolution at Nippert Stadium – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, July 27 vs. Toronto FC – 8 p.m. – TSN/Canada
- Saturday, Aug. 3 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Nippert Stadium – 8 p.m. – TSN/Canada
- Saturday, Aug. 10 vs. Columbus Crew – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 17 vs. NYCFC at Nippert Stadium – 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 25 vs. Columbus Crew SC at Nippert Stadium — 8 p.m. – FS1
- Saturday, Aug. 31 vs. FC Dallas – 8 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 7 vs. Toronto FC at Nippert Stadium – 7:30 p.m. – TSN/Canada
- Saturday, Sept. 14 vs. Montreal Impact – 7:30 p.m. – TVA/Canada
- Wednesday, Sept. 18 vs. Atlanta United FC at Nippert Stadium – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 21 vs. Chicago Fire at Nippert Stadium – 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 29 vs. Orlando City SC at Nippert Stadium – 5 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 6 vs. D.C. United – 4 p.m.