FC Cincinnati have acquired defender Chidozie Awaziem (pronunciation: Chi-DOE-zee ah-wah-ZEE-um) from Boavista FC of the Portuguese Primeira Liga via transfer, the club announced today. The Orange and Blue have signed Awaziem through 2025, with options for 2026 and 2027. Awaziem will join the club’s roster and become eligible pending receipt of his P-1 visa.
Awaziem, 27, has made nearly 300 professional appearances across Europe since signing with Portuguese powerhouse FC Porto in 2015, debuting with the first team in January 2016.
“We’re delighted to have Chidozie join the club,” said Chris Albright, FC Cincinnati General Manager. “He's a talented defender with extensive experience at the European and international level. His quality, character and leadership will be a valuable addition to our group, and I’d like to welcome him to Cincinnati.”
The 6-foot-2 center back from Enugu, Nigeria – the same hometown as teammate Obinna Nwobodo – has made 33 caps for the Nigerian National Team. He was named to the 23-man roster for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and has made four appearances for the Super Eagles in 2024, including once in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations en route to the nation’s appearance in the AFCON Final.
“It's been a wonderful time I’ve had with Cincinnati,” said Awaziem. “I see the love the fans and everybody has for soccer. I see all the games that Cincinnati have been playing, and this has motivated me a lot to be part of this team and to feel like what it is to be a player for FC Cincinnati and represent this wonderful and amazing club.”
In the 2023/24 season with Boavista FC, Awaziem made 27 appearances – 25 starts – for his club despite missing periods of time with the Nigerian National Team for FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.
Awaziem originally joined Boavista at 23-years-old ahead of the 2020/21 season from FC Porto. He was loaned in the 2021/22 season to Turkish Süper Lig club Alanyaspor and in 2022/23 to Croatian First League side Hajduk Split. With Hajduk Split he scored a career-high five goals and helped the club lift the Croatian Football Cup, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in their 2-0 clean sheet victory in the final over Šibenik.
Prior to his time with Boavista – where he totaled 59 appearances over parts of three seasons – he made 15 first-team appearances with FC Porto over three seasons including an appearance in UEFA Champions League Group Stage play in December 2018, coming on as a substitute to see out a 3-2 win at Galatasaray.
While with Porto, he was sent on loan to French Ligue 1 side FC Nantes in 2017/18, in 2019 to Turkish Süper Lig side Çaykur Rizespor and later that season to Spanish La Liga club CD Leganés. He has scored 10 goals and added seven assists over his nine-year professional career.
At the international level, seven of Awaziem’s 33 caps have come in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament. He started in six matches in the 2019 AFCON in Egypt as the Nigerians took third place in the competition. His lone international goal came in a qualifier for the 2019 AFCON, on September 8, 2018 at Seychelles in a 3-0 win.
TRANSACTION: On July 25, 2024, FC Cincinnati acquire Chidozie Awaziem from Boavista FC of the Portuguese Primeira Liga via transfer. Awaziem signs a contract through the 2025 season, with options for 2026 and 2027.
#6 CHIDOZIE AWAZIEM
Pronunciation: Chi-DOE-zee ah-wah-ZEE-um
Position: Defender
Height: 6’ 2’’
Birthdate: January 1, 1997
Birthplace: Enugu, Nigeria
Nationality: Nigerian
How Acquired: Acquired via transfer from Boavista FC of the Portuguese Primeira Liga.
FC Cincinnati begin Leagues Cup Group Stage action against Mexican side Club Querétaro on Thursday, August 1. Kickoff from TQL Stadium is set for 8 p.m. ET and tickets are still available at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling (513) 977-5425 (KICK).
