Last Updated on October 1, 2026 by Gabriel
Tom Barlow comes from a close family in St. Louis, Missouri, and experienced a major personal loss long before he became a professional footballer. Born on July 8, 1995, the FC Cincinnati striker grew up alongside two brothers and a sister and was raised by his mother, Charlene Barlow, after his father died suddenly when Tom was only 14 years old.
Barlow has generally kept his adult family and romantic life outside the public spotlight. While an FC Cincinnati teammate described him in 2026 as a “great family man,” reliable club and media sources do not publicly identify a wife or girlfriend or confirm children. Information about his childhood family is much better documented, particularly his mother, late father and three siblings.
Who Is Tom Barlow’s Wife or Girlfriend?
As of now, Tom Barlow has not publicly identified a wife or girlfriend through reliable club interviews, Major League Soccer profiles or established media coverage.
FC Cincinnati referred to Barlow and his family when announcing his signing in January 2026, but the club did not identify the individual family members who moved with or supported him.
Later in the season, teammate Kristian Fletcher praised Barlow as a “great family man” after the veteran striker gave Fletcher the opportunity to take a penalty during a friendly against Burnley. However, that description by itself does not establish whether Barlow is married or has children.
Because Barlow has kept this aspect of his personal life private, it would be inappropriate to identify a supposed partner based on social-media photographs or unverified biography websites.
Is Tom Barlow Married?
There is no sufficiently reliable public source confirming Tom Barlow’s marital status or identifying a wife by name.
Although people within FC Cincinnati have referred positively to his family-oriented personality, neither the club nor Barlow himself has publicly provided enough information to state that he is married.
As of now, his marital status should therefore be treated as private.
Does Tom Barlow Have Children?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Tom Barlow has children.
Official profiles from FC Cincinnati, Chicago Fire, New York Red Bulls and the University of Wisconsin do not publicly identify a son or daughter.
The description of Barlow as a family man should not be interpreted as proof of fatherhood. As of now, he has no publicly confirmed children.
Who Are Tom Barlow’s Parents?
Tom Barlow is the son of Charlene Barlow and the late Ronald R. Barlow Jr.
His University of Wisconsin biography directly identifies Charlene as his mother. Additional St. Louis family records connect Charlene and the late Ronald Barlow Jr. with four children: Jeffrey, Thomas, Michael and Elizabeth, matching the sibling information published by Wisconsin Athletics.
Tom’s father died suddenly when the future MLS striker was 14 years old. The loss became one of the most difficult experiences of his childhood and strengthened an important friendship that helped him cope during that period.
Tom Barlow’s Mother: Charlene Barlow
Tom Barlow’s mother is Charlene Barlow. She raised a family that included Tom, his two brothers Jeffrey and Michael, and his sister Elizabeth.
Charlene has remained supportive of her son throughout his football journey. Her connection to Tom’s career was visible again in January 2026, when the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame honored Barlow with its Keough Family Award.
Tom could not personally attend the presentation because of his professional commitments, and the Hall of Fame published a photograph showing Charlene receiving recognition alongside Tom’s grandfather, Charles Reed.
The moment demonstrated that Tom’s St. Louis family continues to follow and celebrate his achievements even after his career took him to several different MLS cities.
Barlow Wanted to Take Care of His Mother
Tom has also publicly expressed how important his mother and wider family are to him.
During his years at the University of Wisconsin, athletes were asked what they would do if they won the lottery. Barlow said one of his first priorities would be buying his mother a new house and making sure his entire family was financially secure for the rest of their lives.
Although the answer came in a lighthearted university feature, it offered a rare public glimpse into how strongly Barlow felt about supporting his mother and siblings.
Tom Barlow’s Father: Ronald R. Barlow Jr.
Tom Barlow’s late father was Ronald R. Barlow Jr., commonly known as Ron.
Family obituary records identify Ron Jr. as Charlene Barlow’s husband and list Jeffrey, Thomas, Michael and Elizabeth among their children.
Ronald died in December 2009 at the age of 43. University of Wisconsin reporting later confirmed that Tom’s father died of a heart attack when Tom was 14.
The death came while Barlow was still developing as a young footballer in St. Louis and became one of the defining personal experiences of his teenage years.
Tom Barlow Lost His Father at 14
Barlow has spoken publicly about losing his father during a University of Wisconsin feature about his longtime friendship with fellow soccer player Mark Segbers.
Tom and Segbers had known each other since elementary-school age and were already close friends when Barlow’s father died.
Barlow recalled that Segbers was with him during that difficult period and helped keep his spirits up and keep him moving in a positive direction.
The experience strengthened a friendship that later continued when both players attended the University of Wisconsin together.
His Friendship With Mark Segbers Helped During the Family Tragedy
Mark Segbers became particularly important to Barlow after his father’s death.
Years later, when Segbers experienced a family tragedy of his own during their freshman year at Wisconsin, Barlow returned the same support.
After Segbers’ stepbrother died unexpectedly, Tom travelled back to St. Louis with his friend for the wake and funeral.
The shared experiences gave the two players a relationship that went well beyond soccer and lasted throughout their college careers.
Who Are Tom Barlow’s Siblings?
Tom Barlow has three siblings: two brothers named Jeffrey and Michael and a sister named Elizabeth.
The University of Wisconsin’s official player biography provides their names directly and identifies Tom as one of four children in the Barlow family.
Family obituary records independently support the same four names, listing Jeffrey, Thomas, Michael and Elizabeth among the grandchildren of Tom’s paternal grandmother.
Unlike Tom, his siblings have not become prominent public figures through professional sports, and relatively little reliable information about their personal or professional lives has been published.
Tom Barlow’s Brother Jeffrey
Jeffrey Barlow is one of Tom’s two brothers.
Wisconsin Athletics publicly identified Jeffrey in Tom’s college biography, but established soccer coverage provides few additional details about him.
Because Jeffrey has remained a private individual, details about his career, relationships or personal life should not be inferred from unrelated public records.
Tom Barlow’s Brother Michael
Michael Barlow is Tom’s other publicly identified brother.
Like Jeffrey, Michael is listed in the official Wisconsin biography but has largely remained outside media attention surrounding Tom’s professional career.
The fact that both brothers have maintained private lives is consistent with the relatively limited amount of personal family information Barlow has shared throughout his years in MLS.
Tom Barlow’s Sister Elizabeth
Elizabeth Barlow is Tom’s sister and the fourth member of the sibling group identified by Wisconsin Athletics.
Reliable public sources do not provide substantial biographical information about Elizabeth, and she has not been a regular subject of coverage connected with her brother’s career.
Tom Barlow Grew Up in St. Louis
Barlow was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, a city with a strong soccer tradition.
He attended Chaminade College Preparatory School and played club soccer for St. Louis Scott Gallagher, an organization that has developed numerous professional players.
His talent became obvious during his teenage years. Barlow earned Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year honors and was an All-American during his high-school career.
Those achievements eventually earned him the opportunity to continue his education and football career at the University of Wisconsin.
His Family Watched Him Develop Into a College Star
Barlow spent four seasons playing for Wisconsin and developed into one of the program’s leading attacking players.
One of his favorite college memories came when Wisconsin played in St. Louis during his sophomore season.
Barlow scored the game-winning goal in double overtime and later said the moment was particularly meaningful because his friends and family from home were able to watch him play.
The match gave the people who had followed his career from childhood an opportunity to see how far he had progressed.
Tom Barlow’s College Career
Barlow completed his Wisconsin career with 23 goals and 15 assists across 78 appearances.
His senior season was particularly successful, as he scored 10 goals and helped Wisconsin win the 2017 Big Ten Tournament championship.
His performances eventually led the New York Red Bulls to select him with the 39th overall pick in the second round of the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.
That selection began a professional career that has now lasted across several Major League Soccer clubs.
From New York to Chicago
Barlow initially played with New York Red Bulls II before earning a first-team MLS contract in May 2019.
He remained within the Red Bulls organization for several years and made more than 100 appearances for the senior team.
Chicago Fire acquired Barlow ahead of the 2024 season, giving him his second permanent MLS home.
He spent two seasons in Chicago and recorded one of the best individual performances of his career in June 2025, scoring a hat-trick during a 7-1 victory over D.C. United.
The performance earned him MLS Player of the Matchday honors.
Tom Barlow Joined FC Cincinnati in 2026
FC Cincinnati signed Barlow as a free agent on January 12, 2026.
The agreement runs through December 2027 and includes an option covering the remainder of the 2027-28 MLS season.
General manager Chris Albright praised Barlow’s experience, character and reputation as a teammate while saying Cincinnati was pleased to welcome Tom and his family to the club.
The move also reunited Barlow with his St. Louis soccer roots because Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan had also developed through St. Louis Scott Gallagher.
Barlow’s Family Remains Connected to St. Louis
Although his professional career has taken him through New York, Chicago and Cincinnati, Barlow’s strongest documented family roots remain in St. Louis.
His mother Charlene continues to be associated with the city, and Barlow was recognized by the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame in 2026 for his achievements as a professional player.
The award connected his current MLS career with the local soccer community that helped develop him as a child.
Tom Barlow Is Described as a Family Man by Teammates
Barlow does not frequently discuss his private family life publicly, but people around him have spoken positively about his character.
During an FC Cincinnati friendly against Burnley in July 2026, Barlow was designated to take a late penalty. Instead, he gave the opportunity to teammate Kristian Fletcher, who had recently returned from a lengthy rehabilitation period.
After the match, Fletcher praised Barlow as both a good person and a “great family man.”
The description provides a glimpse into how teammates view Barlow personally, although it does not confirm the identities of any wife or children.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tom Barlow’s Family
Who is Tom Barlow’s wife?
As of now, no wife has been reliably identified in official club sources or established media coverage. FC Cincinnati has referred to Barlow’s family, but the club has not publicly identified a spouse.
Does Tom Barlow have a girlfriend?
Tom Barlow has not publicly confirmed a girlfriend through reliable sources. His romantic life remains private.
Does Tom Barlow have children?
There are no publicly confirmed children associated with Tom Barlow in authoritative football sources.
Who is Tom Barlow’s mother?
Tom Barlow’s mother is Charlene Barlow. She has supported his football career from his childhood in St. Louis through his years as a professional player.
Who was Tom Barlow’s father?
Tom’s father was Ronald R. Barlow Jr. He died in December 2009 when Tom was 14 years old.
How did Tom Barlow’s father die?
University of Wisconsin reporting states that Barlow’s father died of a heart attack when Tom was 14.
Does Tom Barlow have siblings?
Yes. Tom has three siblings: two brothers, Jeffrey and Michael, and one sister, Elizabeth.
Where is Tom Barlow’s family from?
Barlow grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, where his family has longstanding ties. His youth and high-school football careers were also based in the St. Louis area.
Who is Tom Barlow’s grandfather?
St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame coverage identifies Charles Reed as Tom Barlow’s grandfather. He appeared alongside Tom’s mother Charlene when Barlow received a Hall of Fame-related award in January 2026.
Who does Tom Barlow play for?
As of now, Tom Barlow plays for FC Cincinnati in Major League Soccer. He joined the club in January 2026 after previously representing Chicago Fire and the New York Red Bulls.
Gabriel Lucio is a football analyst covering La Liga, focusing on match analysis, tactical trends, and the race for domestic and European positions.
