The Orange & Blue have had some time to lick their proverbial wounds after crashing out of the MLS Cup playoffs. It’s time to see how they react after three months of contemplation.
FC Cincinnati start their 2026 slate of competition with an away trip to the Dominican Republic in the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The Orange & Blue square off in the first leg against CCC debutantes Universidad O&M FC, who scrambled their way into the competition after making it to the 2025 CONCACAF Caribbean Cup finals last year.
While Cincinnati have made it to their third-straight CCC tournament, they are hoping for a deeper run this time around. FCC wiped out Jamaican outfit Cavalier FC in 2024, winning 6-0 over both legs to advance. However, they were no match for Liga MX giants CF Monterrey in the next round, bested by former teammate Brandon Vazquez’s new team in both legs.
In 2025, FCC again breezed past the first-round competition, winning 4-1 over Honduran squad F.C. Motagua before sleepwalking to a 1-1 home draw to advance. While FCC managed a 1-1 draw at home against Tigres UANL in the next round, they were unable to hold onto a halftime lead and lost 3-1 on the road.
FC Cincinnati’s second-place finish in the Eastern Conference means the Orange & Blue get another crack at international gold, this time facing a squad that could be playing with house money.
UNIVERSIDAD O&M FC
O&M FC represents Universidad Organización y Método and is the only team that represents a university in the professional Liga Dominicana de Fútbol (LDF) league. Established in 2010, O&M FC has participated in league play since 2015, the LDF’s first year. While the team has lurked in the shadows of league giants Cibao F.C., they play in the largest stadium in the D.R., the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez, which holds 27,000 at full capacity.
O&M’s only league title came in the pandemic-abbreviated 2020 season, in which the team outlasted a three-month tournament late in December. “The University” has done well to finish higher in the standings, coming second to a title in 2024 and runner-up in cup competition in 2015 and 2016. However, Cibao F.C. has exhibited constant dominance, winning the league title the past five seasons.
A little bit of good fortune did go O&M’s way in the 2025 CONCACAF Caribbean Cup. After surviving the group stage against other teams from the Caribbean, O&M managed to dethrone Cibao in the knockout rounds and make it to the finals against Mount Pleasant from Jamaica. While O&M lost in the second leg, their second-place finish was enough for placement in this year’s CCC.
While O&M transferred their high scorer over the 2025 season, they still have a punch atop their formation. Countryman Anyelo Gomez has scored 11 goals for O&M over the past two seasons. Meanwhile, Haitian forward Frantzety Herard excelled during the Caribbean Cup, scoring five goals and two assists in five matches.
As much as O&M rode a hot hand in the Caribbean Cup, the team has struggled lately. Over the first six matches in 2026, O&M have drawn twice and lost four times. Their 3-2 loss to in-stadium rivals Atletico Pantoja dropped them to the bottom of the “Winners Stage” portion of the standings.
THE ORANGE AND BLUE
FC Cincinnati look healthy going into the first matches of 2026, but this turn in the Dominican Republic could be a demonstration of how deep the team needs to be. There are no distinct holdouts similar to those that plagued the team last season, and aside from some insecurity in Matt Miazga’s health, the team has a relatively small injury list.
The subtraction of Luca Orellano could be the biggest blemish, but the team countered by dealing for Bryan Ramirez in the offseason. The Ecuadorian winger will likely see some time in a wingback role and could see his debut on Wednesday. Ramirez scored seven goals and six assists during the past season with LDU Quito in the Ecuadorian leagues, his best season-long production to date.
Wednesday will also likely see a heavy run of young talent. During the preseason, Dado Valenzuela and Stefan Chirila scored in a friendly against Brooklyn FC, and both could be centerpieces for the FCC offense. Head coach Pat Noonan will likely start with part of his first team on the bench, meaning that forward Tom Barlow, fullback Kyle Smith, and center back Felix Samson could get some of their inaugural minutes in orange and blue.
Predicted lineup:
Match Info
Where: Estadio Cibao, Santiago De Los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
When: Wednesday, February 18th at 8:00 p.m.
Watch: FS2, Foxsports.com, FuboTV, VIX.
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