Story perspectives

Columbus Crew Sign Ivory Coast Defender Eric Bailly

7/17/2026

Summary

Story summary

Columbus Crew signed free-agent defender Eric Bailly on July 17, 2026.
The deal runs through June 2027 with club options for 2027-28 and 2028-29.
Bailly will take a roster slot after his P-1 visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC) are approved.
The 32-year-old Ivory Coast defender has 49 caps, was in the 2015 AFCON-winning squad and 2020 Olympics, and played for Real Oviedo after spells with Manchester United and clubs.

History

Historical Context

MLS launched its inaugural 1996 season by signing Cameroon star Roger Milla—then 38—to showcase global ambition, while the 1996 collective-bargaining agreement limited each of the ten clubs to three international roster slots. Decades later, Columbus Crew’s 2026 acquisition of Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly must navigate a P-1 visa and an International Transfer Certificate, reflecting the league’s enduring need to manage scarce foreign-player slots.

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Story summary

Columbus Crew signed free-agent defender Eric Bailly on July 17, 2026.
The deal runs through June 2027 with club options for 2027-28 and 2028-29.
Bailly will take a roster slot after his P-1 visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC) are approved.
The 32-year-old Ivory Coast defender has 49 caps, was in the 2015 AFCON-winning squad and 2020 Olympics, and played for Real Oviedo after spells with Manchester United and clubs.

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