FC Cincinnati’s long-running quest to establish a professional women’s soccer presence in the Queen City has reportedly taken a major step forward. The Major League Soccer club’s ownership group has recently engaged in active discussions with National Women’s Soccer League side Racing Louisville FC regarding a potential acquisition and subsequent relocation of the franchise to Ohio. This potential development would see a top-tier NWSL franchise move up Interstate 71, integrating into the rapidly expanding soccer ecosystem of Cincinnati and potentially reshaping the professional women’s soccer landscape in the Midwest.
This pursuit is not entirely new to the Cincinnati hierarchy, which has repeatedly explored avenues to bring NWSL football to TQL Stadium. In recent years, the club made multiple inquiries about acquiring Racing Louisville, though previous attempts stalled. A significant obstacle historically cited was the personal relationship between the distinct ownership groups, specifically FC Cincinnati’s ownership and Louisville’s Soccer Holdings LLC. Furthermore, in 2024, FC Cincinnati joined a high-profile consortium including superstar Caitlin Clark in an unsuccessful bid to secure a 2026 NWSL expansion franchise. The current negotiations, however, appear to be driven by shifting financial dynamics and declining attendances in Louisville, which have reportedly opened the door for a potential sale.
The latest round of talks highlights a persistent ambition from FC Cincinnati’s leadership to solidify the club’s footprint across both major American soccer divisions. Co-CEO Jeff Berding has long championed the vision of a unified professional soccer club, a vision he has actively pursued through major infrastructure projects and high-profile collegiate and professional events at TQL Stadium. While the precise status of the renewed negotiations remains subject to final agreements, FC Cincinnati’s official stance on the specific deal remains unconfirmed, with the club stating only that their commitment to advancing the sport remains strong.
If successful, this landmark relocation would represent a pivotal moment for the NWSL, consolidating a professional women’s franchise within a dedicated MLS market. For Cincinnati, it would fulfill a long-held desire to host top-tier women’s soccer, capitalizing on the city’s passionate soccer culture and modern facilities. The move underscores a growing trend in American soccer toward unified ownership models, where men’s and women’s teams operate under a single corporate umbrella, promising enhanced resources, commercial growth and elevated competitive standards for players on both sides of the pitch.
