Alvas Powell has become a Cincinnati man.
It’s taken some time, and he still describes himself as a homebody, but Cincinnati has slowly but surely seeped its way into his heart. Even to the point of it surpassing his original home, and going for number one.
Cincinnati’s Jamaican defender – the one and only, the un-duplicatable, the un-imaitable – Alvas Powell is back in Orange and Blue this season after resigning with FC Cincinnati on a deal through 2026 (with an option for 2027) and is set to further cement his legacy with the club this season. With 147 appearances, Powell is fifth all-time in appearances for FCC and with 10 more appearances across all competitions, would jump to as high as fourth.
He is also one of two players who were part of the original MLS team when FC Cincinnati made the jump from USL to Major League Soccer. He departed at one point, but returned and has since become entrenched in Cincinnati and has been part of both the success the club has had, as well as being a contributor to what future success will come.
Powell, 31, is now back for his 14th season in MLS and his sixth season with FC Cincinnati. For that season, the Jamaican spark plug – who is as known for laugh, smile and personality as he is speed on the pitch and his commitment to team success – has a clear target on his mind for this FC Cincinnati team. A team he feels is unique in its qualities and even stronger in its cultural attitude.
“My focus right now is I want to win the championship. I think it's way overdue,” Powell said in a sitdown with FCCincinnati.com prior to the 2026 preseason. “The fans here, you can see it on game days, the fans turn out every game home and away. So I think the goal is to bring a championship back to Cincinnati. And yea, it's going to take everybody, it’s going to take a lot of work, extra work, but this is a special group and we want a special season.”
Powell was a member of the 2023 FC Cincinnati team that lifted the Supporters’ Shield, and he was part of an MLS Cup-winning side in 2015 as a member of the Portland Timbers.
But it is the culture at FC Cincinnati, one that many inside the locker room give him credit for helping to create, that makes his desire for success so palpable right now.
“Cincinnati has believed in me from the get go,” Powell said of his love for the team. “This is a team that I look up to. Everybody, from the front office, the coaching staff, the players, the staff. I look up to this community. It means a lot to me and my family to be part of it. I'm just happy to be here.”
A native of St. Thomas parish in Kingston, Jamaica, Powell initially joined FC Cincinnati after six years with the Portland Timbers. He then made stops in Miami, Philadelphia and Sudan before returning to Cincinnati in 2022 as part of the first group under the Chris Albright/Pat Noonan administration. Powell had played for Noonan in 2021 with Philadelphia Union when the now FC Cincinnati Head Coach was an assistant there, and followed him to Cincinnati. Helping build the new cultural foundation FC Cincinnati now has under this leadership core.
“Cincinnati has been really good to me. I am so comfortable in Cincinnati and it is slowly, slowly, going for number one for me in my heart,” Powell laughed, saying of his affinity in what he now calls his second hometown. “FC Cincinnati is special. The stadium is special. These fans are special, and why I say that is they just, they just never stopped singing. They do it the whole game. It’s just very special. Their passion is so apparent, even away from the field. The fans care about the team and they care about you, that’s special.”
The brand of cultural leadership Powell brings is somewhat underrated by the public, but is apparent and celebrated by the locker room. His playstyle is, truly, an extension of his personality and a true look into who he is.
At preseason media day, this writer polled each FC Cincinnati player on a series of questions pertaining to the club. Two of which Alvas Powell’s name was, if not universally noted, specifically highlighted by the majority of the group.
Question #1: Who on the team is the funniest guy in the locker room?
Universally, Alvas Powell. Across cultural backgrounds and age bands, he was acclaimed.
Question #2: Who is a leader on this team that the public may not expect?
Amongst the top vote getters, also Alvas Powell. And when asked for alternative answers from those polled, he was mentioned unanimously… but always followed by some version of “well I just assumed people knew about him.”
“Alvas just makes you feel comfortable being who you are because he is always exactly who he is,” a veteran FC Cincinnati player said, asking for anonymity so that Powell wouldn’t know who complimented him. “When he’s just so himself, and so able to love others for being themselves, it makes you feel able to be yourself.”
“He helps take away a lot of fear,” a younger FC Cincinnati player added on Powell. “It can be scary joining a new locker room for the first time, but he helps you know that you can be yourself and helps you celebrate others for being themselves.”
Powell – who was also asked these two questions and answered 1) as a combination of Nick Hagglund, Evan Louro and himself, and 2) Obinna Nwobodo – was slightly stunned to hear that he had been referenced so often. But, he says, that’s just a reflection of how special this locker room is. That a “crazy guy” like him (his words) can be seen like that.
“I think that's to show you about this locker room. You can be yourself and nobody judges you for being yourself,” Powell said with as genuine a smile as you could imagine. “I always be myself when I'm around everybody, especially in the locker room. I just like to talk when I'm in the locker room, that's my comfort zone. My family is not here but that’s how I am with them, so it's just natural. This is my family.”
“I've been to a lot of places and I've played with a lot of teams in the past, and this locker room is a special one. There are no stuck up players in the locker room. Everybody is so nice to each other, respects each other,” Powell continued. “So, I like to say, everybody is their own comedian. We have such a good locker room where we have a good bunch of guys, so there is always fun and laughter. I'm grateful to be around those guys, but our locker room is a special one. I can go all day talking about a lot of guys that are in the locker room and the new guys that are coming in, they're welcomed easily to fit in. That's one of the things I think that we do best, is welcoming new players, helping them feel welcome and learn what this club is about.”
This part of Powell’s charm is especially helpful in preseason, where FC Cincinnati have spent a month together in Clearwater, Florida, training and preparing for what will be the longest MLS season (in terms of calendar days) ever.
A prevalent storyline from preseason this year has been the continuity of the roster from 2025 into 2026. But in that continuity, many of those players joined FCC either in the middle of the season or after the 2025 preseason camp broke to begin the season. Many members of the team never got a full preseason to be brought into the team.
That, in Powell’s eyes, is an opportunity for further unity and team growth early in 2026.
“We’re always together in preseason. We have a team meal every single day. Guys are hanging out with each other, learning from each other, about each other,” Powell shared of his favorite part of preseason, and its importance. “The guys that don't like to talk, kind of have to talk because, at some point, there's gonna be one guy that’s going to try to get you out of your shell – to conversate with people. So preseason is a good thing. For us, everybody, we welcome everyone in the team and make sure to not be stuck up. You know, we want everybody to enjoy the moment and not to forget the real reason why we are here. We are to work, but also enjoy, that’s part of the process.”
FC Cincinnati is now just days away from kicking off the 2026 season, and less than a week away from returning to TQL Stadium to open the MLS regular season. Powell, now a self-confessed Cincinnati man as his sixth season will mark a tie for the most he’s spent with one team in his career, was most excited for that return to TQL Stadium when he spoke back at the beginning of January.
“It's gonna be an amazing night. It won't disappoint you, you won't be disappointed,” Alvas Powell said, now speaking directly to the Cincinnati community and those who haven’t been to a match yet. “You're gonna feel how crazy these fans go and there’s no way to say it in words, you just have to witness it, or experience it yourself. There is nothing like it. Not in soccer in America or anywhere I’ve been. You have to experience it yourself.”
The Orange and Blue kick off their season with the Concacaf Champions Cup, travelling to the Dominican Republic to play O&M FC in Round One on Wednesday, February 18. They then return home to take on Atlanta United FC on Saturday, February 21. To yield Alvas Powell’s plea and experience it yourself, visit FCCincinnati.com/tickets/.