Is Sacramento Republic FC gaining ground on FC Cincinnati in MLS expansion race?

The appearance locally of Major League Soccer's expansion race is that it's been a one-horse competition with Futbol Club Cincinnati leading, but that's far from the case.

It's at least a two-horse race and Sacramento Republic FC appears to be gaining ground as expansion finalists there, in Detroit and at FC Cincinnati await word on which organization will be selected to be the 26th team in MLS.

According to a Thursday report from The Sacramento Bee, Republic FC is in talks with multiple billionaires that could potentially lead that organization's expansion bid.

More: Read the full Sacramento Bee story here

In December, Republic FC announced its bid lost billionaire investors. They made what equated to a public plea in an effort to find new investors and, if only for that moment, their bid appeared to be on life support.

No new investor or investors have been confirmed for Republic FC but the organization is in serious talks with candidates, according to the Sacramento Bee, and its possible the organization could be close to closing the gap on the biggest missing piece from its bid package.

It's not entirely clear what this means for FC Cincinnati, which has been making headlines recently for its stadium push in Cincinnati's West End neighborhood.

FC Cincinnati President and General Manager Jeff Berding this week pitched a vision for the West End that would include an MLS venue on the site of Stargel Stadium, the neighborhood's multi-purpose, outdoor high school and community sports stadium, and the construction of a new and improved replacement Stargel Stadium nearby.

More: FC Cincinnati stadium: Who's who in West End debate

All three of FC Cincinnati's proposed stadium sites, including those in the city's Oakley neighborhood and in Newport, Kentucky, remain options, Berding said.

Berding didn't immediately respond to The Enquirer's Thursday night request for comment.

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The public dialogue around FC Cincinnati's stadium looks and feels like progress, but MLS has consistently avoided public comment detailing specifics about the expansion race.

Publicly, there's been no indication as to whether FC Cincinnati is gaining ground on clinching its place in MLS.

It also remains unclear when the announcement for the next expansion team will take place. FC Cincinnati and MLS officials have said separately they'd like to have the announcement prior to the start of the MLS season.

An MLS spokesman didn't immediately respond to The Enquirer's Thursday night request for comment.