FC Cincinnati 2 announced today the signing of forward Cheikhou Niang (SHAY-woo knee-ANG) to an MLS NEXT Pro contract. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Niang, 19, joins the Orange and Blue following his time with the Rise Academy, an institute focused on both sport and education, in Thiès, Senegal. After joining the Rise Academy at the age of 14, Niang began playing with the academy’s U17 team where he led the team in goals.
Niang represented the academy at the U20 and Elite team levels, scoring 16 goals and adding seven assists, before earning a spot on the Universitè Club de Thiès (UTC), the academy’s top side.
The Senegalese international has also represented his country in camps at the U20 levels and trained with French Ligue 1 side Stade Brestois 29 (Brest).
Niang and the Orange and Blue face New York City FC II on Monday, April 13, at Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium at 1 p.m. ET. Tickets for the match can be claimed through the FC Cincinnati App.
#51 CHEIKHOU NIANG
Position: Forward
Height: 6’6’’
Birthdate: April 20, 2007 (19)
Hometown: Dakar, Senegal
How Acquired: Via signing on April 9, 2026
