There is a new American face in the German 3. Liga this winter.

Mason Toye has joined FC Ingolstadt in a free transfer after his contract with MLS club Sporting KC expired earlier this offseason. Toye, 27, spent the last eight seasons in MLS after being drafted by Minnesota United in the first round of the 2018 MLS Draft.

“First of all, I would like to thank you for your trust,” Toye said in a club interview. “After the consistently positive conversations with those responsible, it feels like the right club for my first professional station outside my home league. I am very much looking forward to the new challenge and will give everything to bring in my strengths in the best possible way.”

Toye spent two-and-a-half seasons with the Loons, scoring seven goals in 42 appearances. He was later traded to CF Montreal in 2020 and scored 13 goals in four-and-a-half seasons in Canada.

The Portland Timbers acquired Toye midway through the 2024 MLS season but later declined his contract option after he logged just 144 minutes for the club. Toye most recently scored three goals and added two assists in 21 appearances for SKC in 2025 but did not have his option exercised in December.

A former standout at the University of Indiana, Toye made three appearances for the U.S. Under-23 men’s national team, scoring two goals.

“Mason has an exciting profile as a mid foot striker,” Managing Director Dietmar Beiersdorfer said. “He is athletically strong, also works very intensively against the ball and always consistently seeks his way into the depths with his high pace. As a result, he develops a strong move to the goal. We are convinced that he not only suits us well in terms of character, but will also help us in terms of sports.”

Ingolstadt currently sits 14th in the 20-team 3. Liga table. The top-two finishers in the 3. Liga earn automatic promotion to the second-tier while the third-place finisher heads into a two-legged playoff with the 16th-place finisher in the 2. Bundesliga relegation zone.