TQL Stadium

TQL Stadium is a special place for watching soccer games in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is where the FC Cincinnati team plays their home games. The stadium can hold about 26,000 fans and opened its doors on May 16, 2021. Before TQL Stadium was built, the team played at Nippert Stadium, but they needed a new home when they joined Major League Soccer.

The idea for TQL Stadium started in 2016 when Cincinnati was trying to get a team in Major League Soccer. After looking at many possible locations, the West End area was chosen. Building the stadium cost $250 million, and it was named after Total Quality Logistics, a local company, in April 2021.

TQL Stadium has been used for big international soccer matches, like games in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup and part of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The field inside the stadium has special Bermuda grass, which was put in during 2024 to make sure players have the best playing surface.

Planning

FC Cincinnati was founded in 2015 and played its first three seasons at Nippert Stadium, a college football venue. The team started looking for a new stadium in 2016 to meet Major League Soccer’s requirements. In 2017, they shortlisted three possible locations: a high school stadium in the West End, a former factory in Oakley, and a riverfront site in Newport, Kentucky.

In January 2018, FC Cincinnati chose the West End site and planned to swap land with Cincinnati Public Schools to build there. After some changes and approvals, the city council voted to support the stadium in April 2018. The final design, announced in 2019, features special lighting and can hold about 26,000 fans. The stadium cost $250 million to build, with funding from the club, the city, and local governments.

Construction

TQL Stadium was designed by Populous, MEIS Architects, and Elevar Design Group. Turner Construction was in charge of building it, working with Jostin Construction. The old Stargel Stadium closed forever on October 26, 2018, and its demolition started the next month. The new Stargel Stadium opened in September 2019 for fall sports.

A special groundbreaking for TQL Stadium happened on December 18, 2018. Building was supposed to start in January 2019 after the old stadium was torn down. The first roof parts were put up in May 2020, even while the COVID-19 pandemic was happening.

The outside of the stadium, including the roof, was finished in July 2020. The biggest scoreboard ever used in a soccer stadium is in the north part, and it is very wide. The grass field and special lights for growing it were put in place in January 2021. The stadium was officially opened with a ceremony on May 1, 2021, and people could tour it the next day.

TQL Stadium was named the Best Venue of 2022 by The World Football Summit.

Naming rights

In 2020, FC Cincinnati had some problems with a company they hired to help find a name for their new stadium. They felt the company wasn’t doing a good job.

Then, in April 2021, a company called Total Quality Logistics (TQL) agreed to help name the stadium. That’s how the stadium got its name.

Layout and facilities

TQL Stadium can hold up to 26,000 people, including a special standing area called "The Bailey" for 3,170 fans. The stadium has 53 special rooms and four areas with comfortable seats for 4,500 guests. A fancy bar is planned to open in 2025. The closest seats are just 15 feet from the field, while the farthest are 130 feet away.

The stadium has six entrances, with a grand one on Central Parkway that has a wide staircase and open space. It covers a large area of 518,000 square feet and includes restrooms, locker rooms for players and referees, and a team store. The home team's area has a locker room, lounge, offices, training spaces, and a warm-up area. There is also a press area with space for reporters and broadcast teams.

The playing field is 115 yards long and 75 yards wide. It was first made with a special mix of artificial and natural grass, but in 2024 it was changed to natural Bermuda grass. The stadium is owned by a public agency and leased to FC Cincinnati. The team plans to build a new entertainment area near the stadium with a hotel, music venue, homes, and restaurants, with the first buildings expected to be ready in 2027.

Soccer

The first FC Cincinnati match at TQL Stadium was a 3–2 loss to Inter Miami CF on May 16, 2021, with 6,000 fans watching. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the stadium had fewer seats for a while, and fans were spaced out. The first full-capacity match happened on June 19, 2021, with 25,054 people attending a 2–0 loss to the Colorado Rapids. FC Cincinnati got their first win at the stadium on September 11 against Toronto FC.

TQL Stadium had its first international soccer game on September 21, 2021, a friendly match where the United States women's national team beat Paraguay 8–0. Two months later, the United States men's national team played a World Cup qualifier against Mexico and won 2–0. In 2023, the stadium hosted a quarterfinal doubleheader for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where Jamaica beat Guatemala and the United States beat Canada after a penalty shootout.

The stadium will host four matches during the group stage of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, featuring top teams like FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

International men's matches

International women's matches

2025 FIFA Club World Cup

Date	Home	Result	Away	Tournament	Spectators
November 12, 2021	United States	2–0	Mexico	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF third round	26,000
June 1, 2022	United States	3–0	Morocco	Friendly	24,002
July 9, 2023	Guatemala	0–1	Jamaica	2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinals	24,979
	United States	2–2 (3–2 pen.)	Canada
September 10, 2024	United States	1–1	New Zealand	Friendly	15,711

Date	Home	Result	Away	Tournament	Spectators
September 21, 2021	United States	8–0	Paraguay	Friendly	22,515
September 21, 2023	United States	3–0	South Africa	Friendly	22,016
June 29, 2025	United States	4–0	Republic of Ireland	Friendly	24,016

Date	Team #1	Result	Team #2	Spectators
June 15, 2025	Bayern Munich	10–0	Auckland City	21,152
June 18, 2025	Pachuca	1–2	Red Bull Salzburg	5,282
June 21, 2025	Mamelodi Sundowns	3–4	Borussia Dortmund	14,006
June 25, 2025	Borussia Dortmund	1–0	Ulsan HD	8,239

Other events

TQL Stadium hosted the English rock band The Who on May 15, 2022, as part of their "The Who Hits Back" Tour. This was the first concert ever held at the stadium, with many fans attending.

Transportation

The stadium is found along Central Parkway, which divides the West End and Over-the-Rhine areas just north of Downtown Cincinnati, between John and Wade streets. Public transport options include SORTA buses and a nearby Connector streetcar stop, located two blocks away.

On days when games are played, some nearby streets may close to cars to make space for fans walking to the stadium, depending on city decisions. The team provides four special parking spots for fans with season passes, plus several nearby paid parking areas. Originally, Hamilton County planned one large parking garage for the stadium, but later changed plans to build two smaller garages, one of which also serves Findlay Market. The county’s 515-spot garage at Findlay Market opened in December 2023 and cost about $18 million to build.