Goalkeeper Connor Dale has joined a growing line of young players and goalkeepers to develop and take the professional leap through the academy with The Orange and Blue.
Last Thursday, the young goalkeeper officially signed his first professional contract, a homegrown deal with FC Cincinnati. Dale, 16, signed with FCC through the 2028/29 season, with options for 2030 and 2031, becoming the third FC Cincinnati goalkeeper in club history to sign out of the academy. He also becomes the 11th player in club history to sign out of the academy, and the second-youngest.
“Connor, very quickly since he's arrived, has shown what we thought he could be, which is an elite goalkeeping prospect,” FC Cincinnati General Manager Chris Albright said of the signing last week. “I told Connor and his family yesterday, a lot of kids sign contracts, but not a lot of them have careers. So the focus now for him is the next steps on applying himself every day like he does in order to have a sustainable long-term career, but he is an exceptional talent. I think he's one of the top goalkeepers in all of the national team setup and all the age groups. When you just look at ability on the ball, ability to stop the ball, size, athleticism, character, all the things that we look for. He's got a bright future.”
A West Palm Beach, Florida native, Dale joined the FCC Academy before the 2026 season and became an instant staple in the club's goalkeeper group across all levels. At just 15 and joining the club largely through the residency program, Dale began training with the FC Cincinnati first team, the second team and multiple levels of the FC Cincinnati Academy.
“I came here from Miami's Academy, and I just felt it wasn't the right environment for me, so I decided to look for a new club, and FC Cincinnati, it looked the best,” the newly signed FCC goalkeeper said in a conversation after training last week. “It had the best people, best environment, and I took the opportunity. So from about eight months ago, I just kept on working and working, and eventually, Mr. Albright just told me the news, and I was more than gold to tell my mom and my family. It was the reason why I came here. So I'm just glad to be here, and I’m excited to continue working.”
Dale first worked with the FCC first team this preseason when he was invited to Clearwater, Florida, to train with the club, but eventually went on to make his professional debut with FC Cincinnati 2 in MLS NEXT Pro, starting on June 7 against New England Revolution 2. He has since made seven starts for FCC 2, making 37 saves and earning one clean sheet.
“He's been a great student of the game,” FC Cincinnati Goalkeeper Roman Celentano said of the young keeper. “Obviously, there is a learning curve…and Connor's gotten a lot better. He's gotten a lot more receptive. Even like the short time I've known him, he's grown a lot as a person. I think being in this environment is good for him, and he's gotten better as weeks have gone by. So he's an exciting prospect, and we're happy to have him in the goalkeeper union.”
Dale has also become a standout on the national team stage, being selected to several US Youth National Team camps. Dale has been selected to multiple U16 National Team training camps, including one in Fayetteville, Georgia, before being selected to the U16 roster for the 2026 Vertex Cup in April.
This week, Dale was also called in to the US U17 Youth National Team camp in Spain, where they will take on Scotland, Netherlands, Belgium and France in friendlies. The camp is also ahead of the U17 World Cup, set to be played in Qatar in November later this year. Many consider Dale a top prospect to start for the USYNT at that tournament.
Dale will continue to train with the first team while appearing with the second team and at other levels throughout the club as he continues to develop as a young player. But now as a pro, Dale is just hoping to make good on the faith his coaches and club leaders have in him.
“It's honestly all just a blessing. I think it's just that it came quicker than I expected, and I'm glad they believe in me like that,” Dale added. “It just shows that they trust in me, and I appreciate it, and I’ll continue to work hard to make that trust worth it for them.”
