CINCINNATI — Fans of FC Cincinnati enter the 2023 Major League Soccer season in unfamiliar territory.

They’re expecting to win and win big.

Last season, the Orange and Blue ended a historic run of last-place finishes in the Eastern Conference by securing the first playoff berth in the club’s brief MLS history.

Led by head coach Pat Noonan, FC Cincinnati advanced to the conference semifinals on the strength of a late-season run that included the team gaining points in 13 straight matches heading into the postseason.

Now, heading into the club’s fifth MLS season, Noonan and his team expect great things from this campaign. The fans don’t appear to think any differently.

The team’s season-opener is Saturday at 7:30 p.m. against Houston Dynamo FC at TQL Stadium.

“The energy is at an all-time high,” Christopher Zdinak said ahead of the home opener.

FC Cincinnati hosted a media day at TQL Stadium ahead of Saturday's home opener. The team's coaching staff and players both voiced confidence. (Casey Weldon/Spectrum News 1)

Zdinak and a group of fans have been FC Cincinnati season-ticket holders dating back to the franchise’s inception in 2016. Back then, the organization was a member of the United Soccer League and played home matches at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium.

“In the early days we would always walk with the supporter groups into the stadium,” said Zdinak, a regular in The Bailey, the supporter section at home matches. He described the USL days as “electric,” and he felt the expansion into the MLS would take that to a new level.

But that optimism waned over the past few years, Zdinak said. FC Cincinnati finished with the worst record in the league in each of its first three seasons in MLS.

“It was embarrassing,” Zdinak said.

“Last season was a breath of fresh air,” he continued. “It finally feels like the fans have the team they’ve been waiting to root for.”

Zdinak and other fans’ expectations aren’t built off a single successful season alone. The team comes into this new campaign receiving praise from pundits across the MLS for the makeup of what’s perceived to be a well-rounded roster.

FC Cincinnati earned the No. 4 spot in MLS.com’s preseason power rankings in part because of a string of moves made by Noonan and general manager Chris Albright. It started with a pair of key defensive pieces mid-season last year in Obinna Nwobodo and Matt Miazga. That stockpile of back-end talent grew this offseason by adding longtime European wingback Santiago Arias and center back in Yerson Mosquera.

MLS.com writer J. Sam Jones also praised the addition of midfielder Marco Angulo.

“They have as much firepower as anyone in the league,” Jones wrote. “They’ve added starters. They’ve added depth. They’re set to be a genuine contender from the jump.”

On Thursday, Noonan joined the team, the franchise’s controlling owner Carl Lindner III and co-CEO Jeff Berding for a media preview at TQL Stadium.

The signing of players such as Matt Miazga helped earn FC Cincinnati the No. 4 spot on the MLS' preseason power rankings. (Casey Weldon/Spectrum News 1)

Noonan, who’s entering his second season, said winning is crucial, not just for the team but also the fans. Beyond getting them more excited about the team, playing well also has a way of getting the fans more involved in the match, he said.

Last season, FC Cincinnati drew 22,487 fans on average to its 26,000-seat stadium in the West End, good for eighth in the MLS. 

Noonan hopes a strong showing this season can cause those seasons to grow.

“It would certainly be nice to step on the field on Saturday and have a strong showing and a good result, which is obviously a win,” he said. 

Getting off on a strong showing could help set the momentum, Noonan said. Last season, FC Cincinnati lost five times at home, including three out of their first four matches at TQL Stadium. They also had six draws there.

They had just six home wins.

“We’ve talked about it, and we need to be better in front of our home fans and in this stadium to make the expectations, the atmosphere better than it already is,” Noonan said.

“You could see over the course of last season the growth — not only of our (team), but the fan base, our connection with the fans and the belief that we could be a good team,” he added. “And so, I envision a better version of what we saw in 2022 as far as the atmosphere.”

Miazga, a former U.S. Men’s National Team member, echoed his coach’s sentiments. He voiced confidence that he and his teammates can build upon last year’s success moving forward no matter where they play. 

“To be fair, we want to have the mentality where it doesn’t matter where we play or who we play… but obviously playing at home is a huge help,” he said. “Having the Bailey and everybody… supporting us to the maximum, it’s a huge boost for us.”

One of Cincinnati’s most vocal sports champions is Mayor Aftab Pureval. 

Pureval got into hot water over playful jabs he made toward Kansas City ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals’ AFC Championship game with the Chiefs this past January. On Thursday, he voiced similar excitement and energy for FC Cincinnati, even if a bit more tempered.

The first-term mayor addressed the team before practice, saying they represent the best of the city, possess a youthful energy and carry within them “that Cincinnati swagger.”

“Hope springs eternal right now,” Pureval said.

Sara Rozow said she's always had fun at FC Cincinnati matches, but having a winning team makes the experience that much better. (Photo courtesy of Sara Rozow)

“When FC Cincinnati succeeds, the city of Cincinnati succeeds,” he added. “(The team) has put Cincinnati on the global soccer map, and we have talent from all across the world coming to Cincinnati because of FC Cincinnati…. We’ve got a long list of successes in this city, and FC Cincinnati is a big part of that.”

The losing stretches during previous seasons have been difficult, admitted Sara Rozow. But even then, the St. Bernard resident said she still found enjoyment in the other aspects of the game-day experience — being in The Bailey, the team march to the stadium, and the pregame festivities at places like Washington Park, a few blocks from FC Cincinnati’s home field.

On Saturday, there are pre-match festivities at Washington Park starting at 4:30 p.m. Activities include live music, autograph sessions with players, a photo booth and an assortment of activities for young fans.

Those things are great, Rozow said, but she stressed a win would make them even better.

“They made it to the playoffs last year, and it’s time for them to take the next step,” she added. 

It’s been 33 years since the Cincinnati Reds won the city’s last professional sports title. The Bengals have knocked on that door the past few seasons, but Rozow would love to see FC Cincinnati bust through it this year.

An MLS Cup title would bring a form of “celebrated chaos” to Cincinnati, she said.

“We’ve been waiting for one to happen for our sports teams and it’s truly time,” Rozow added. “I believe it can happen.”