Republic FC announced today the club has signed defender Tim Leibold (pronunciation: Ly-bold) for the remainder of the 2026 season, pending league and federation approval. Leibold extends his time with Sacramento after initially joining the club on a 25-day contract on July 31.
“In the short time he’s been here, Tim has quickly established himself as an integral part of our team,” said Republic FC Head Coach Neill Collins. “His veteran presence on and off the field, as well as his impact on our performance, will continue to drive us forward as we chase Championship silverware.”
“I’m very grateful that the club has given me this opportunity,” said Leibold. “This is a top tier organization that has helped me hit the ground running since day one. The team wants to push forward and get better every single day, and that is going to help us go far. I’m looking forward to being a part of what’s to come.”
Leibold has made five appearances for Republic FC and has helped the club secure three clean sheets. In the three games he’s been named to the Starting XI, Sacramento is undefeated.
The 32-year-old defender spent the last three seasons with Sporting Kansas City, where he recorded two goals and six assists in 77 appearances. In addition to regular season play, he featured for SKC in Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, U.S. Open Cup, and Leagues Cup and in 2024 earned a selection to the MLS Team of the Matchday.
Leibold made the move to MLS following a successful eight-year career across the top two divisions in his native Germany. With FC Nürnberg from 2015-19, he made 113 appearances with 10 goals and 14 assists, and helped the club gain promotion to the Bundesliga in 2018. He remained in the topflight division for three more seasons with Hamburg, where he served two years as a team captain. Across all clubs and competitions, he has amassed an impressive 362 appearances, 23 goals, and 48 assists.
Republic FC is back in action on Saturday night with a visit to Monterey Bay FC. Kickoff from Cardinale Stadium on the campus of CSU Monterey Bay is set for 7:00 p.m. and the match will be available on FOX40+, FOX40.com, and CBS Sports Golazo Network. The Indomitable Club returns home on Saturday, September 12 for an interconference clash with Detroit City FC at Heart Health Park. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. and tickets are available at SacRepublicFC.com.
