[13] On July 16, 2016, FC Cincinnati set the record for highest attendance at a soccer match in the state of Ohio when 35,061 people came for an exhibition game against Crystal Palace.

[citation needed] This would later be broken on July 27, 2016 when an International Champions Cup match between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain drew 86,641 people in Ohio Stadium in Columbus.

[15] On June 14, 2017, FC Cincinnati played their first match against a Major League Soccer team, Columbus Crew, during the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

On June 28, 2017, FC Cincinnati played their second match against a Major League Soccer team, Chicago Fire, in the Round of 16 during the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

[16] On August 15, 2017, FC Cincinnati were defeated at home in front of a sold-out crowd by the New York Red Bulls 3–2 in the US Open Cup semi-final.

[17] On April 7, 2018, the club set the USL attendance record for a home opener at 25,667 in a 1–0 loss to rival Louisville City.

[18] On September 29, 2018, the club broke the USL attendance record once again in its final regular-season home match before its MLS move, drawing in 31,478 in a 3–0 win over rival Indy Eleven.

After the match, they were awarded the USL regular season championship title, having clinched the trophy the prior week away to Richmond Kickers.

[19] The club owners began negotiations with Major League Soccer over a potential expansion franchise in early 2016, and Cincinnati was announced as one of ten cities that had expressed interest in the slots for teams 25 to 28.

[22] FC Cincinnati formally submitted its expansion bid in January 2017, including a shortlist of potential stadium locations.

President and general manager Jeff Berding cited a culmination of on-field performance and off-field matters for the dismissal.

[36] On August 6, 2021, FC Cincinnati announced that the club and then general manager Gerard Nijkamp had "parted ways effective immediately".

[40] Under the first season of the Albright-Noonan regime, the Orange and Blue would qualify for their first post-season in 2022 on 49 points (12–9–13), good for fifth in the East (eighth in the league).

Cincinnati defeated New York Red Bulls in their first MLS Cup Playoffs match (2–1) before losing to top-seeded Philadelphia Union in the conference semifinals, 1–0.

[46] In the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, the club advanced past the New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union before falling to rivals Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference Final by a score of 3–2.

[49] FC Cincinnati limited stadium capacity for USL matches to approximately 25,000 with upper level sections covered.

The estimated $30 million project occupies approximately 23.6 acres (9.6 ha) and serves as the base for soccer operations, including the MLS first team and FCC Academy's training and performance activities.

The facility is also expected to host between 6 and 20 soccer-related events a year, including first-team scrimmages, FCC Academy games and local soccer tournaments.

[56][57] The original crest, used during the team's USL era, was a simple shield with a crown and the winged lion of Saint Mark the Evangelist holding a sword and a soccer ball.

It maintains the same orange and blue color scheme while updating the winged lion and relative sizing of the text displaying the club's name.

[68] Current and former unrecognized supporters' groups include but are not limited to The Bridge, Caballeros, Queen City Firm, Naked Knights, and The Vanguard.

When the march re-commences, supporters pass Cincinnati Music Hall and enter the final leg to TQL Stadium.

[75] There are several current and former supporter-driven media outlets offering coverage of the club, including Cincinnati Soccer Talk,[78] The Post Cincy,[79] Knifey Lion Radio,[80] and Nación FCC.

[81] Introduced in 2019 prior to the club's inaugural MLS season, FC Cincinnati's mascot is an embodiment of the winged lion featured on the current and USL-era crests.

Known as "Gary the Knifey Lion," the blue-haired, orange-furred feline mascot costume features a crown and pair of wings.

[88] Former Cincinnati Bengals executive Jeff Berding was the club's original president and general manager, and in 2022, he was promoted to co-CEO.

[91][92] The club's original ownership group in their USL era also included Chris Lindner (Carl III's son), David L. Thompson, Jeff Berding, Scott Farmer, Steve Hightower, George Joseph, Mike Mossel (who is an owner of the Dayton Dutch Lions), and Jack Wyant.

A few weeks into their third season, however, the USL reached an agreement with ESPN to make ESPN+ its official live-streaming service starting on April 12, 2018.

Gelehrter and McCloskey maintained their commentary roles on local radio broadcasts, which are also available through Apple TV during home games.

Gelehrter's Cincinnati-based media company 4th Floor Creative has produced extensive brand and documentary work for the club.