FC Cincinnati sign 15-year-old Stiven Jimenez

FC Cincinnati have signed midfielder Stiven Jimenez as a homegrown figure at just 15 years old, making him the youngest player in team history.

He joins through the 2025 Major League Soccer season, with club options for 2026 and 2027. 

In order to sign Jimenez, FC Cincinnati could end up sending up to $500,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) to D.C. United, if certain performance-based incentives are met. The deal includes a guaranteed $50,000 in 2022 GAM, with an additional $200,000 in conditional GAM should Jimenez sign a second MLS contract with FC Cincinnati and an additional $300,000 GAM, considering performance-based incentives.

D.C. United will also retain a percentage of GAM should Jimenez be traded within MLS or a percentage of any sell-on amount if Jimenez is sold outside of MLS.

“Stiven has developed quickly in his time with our academy as he has a tremendous desire to be a professional,” Cincy general manager Chris Albright said in a release.

“He’s mature beyond his years in his understanding of the game, and his qualities as a midfielder are a great fit with how we’d like to play. We’re delighted to sign Stiven and are excited to see him continue to develop within our first-team environment.”

Jimenez first joined FC Cincinnati’s academy in 2019, before featuring for their Under 17 squad. He then made the first team for the 2022 first-team preseason, appearing in friendlies against the University of South Florida and the Philadelphia Union.

“It’s a dream come true to sign my first professional contract,” said Jimenez. “Thank you to all the coaches who helped get me to this point, and thank you to FC Cincinnati for giving me this opportunity.”

Internationally, the Mexican-American represented both the United States Under-15 and Mexican Under-16 national teams earlier this year.