Association football club in Major League Soccer
This article is about the Major League Soccer team. For the USL Pro team, see Orlando City SC ( 2010–2014 )
Football club

Orlando City Soccer Club is an american professional soccer club in Orlando, Florida, that competes as a penis of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer ( MLS ). Orlando City SC began play in 2015 as the 21st franchise in MLS, succeeding the USL Pro team of the like name. [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] In doing so they became the first MLS team in Florida since Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny both folded following the 2001 season. [ 8 ] The team plays at Exploria Stadium in Downtown Orlando .

history [edit ]

On October 25, 2010, Phil Rawlins and his investor group of Orlando City Soccer Club, announced their intentions of joining Major League Soccer within the following three to five years. [ 9 ] On February 28, 2011, Orlando City announced it met with commissioner Don Garber and league officials concerning expansion. Topics covered included the demographics of the Orlando market, the local bodied and winnow patronize for soccer, and developing a roadmap for a future MLS franchise in Orlando. [ 10 ] Orlando City team officials met with Commissioner Don Garber again on November 10, 2011, for far discussions about joining the MLS as its 20th cabaret ( which ultimately went to New York City ). [ 11 ]
On March 1, 2012, Garber visited Orlando to meet with city and county officials. He stated, “ It ‘s not a matter of if, but when ”, when addressing Orlando ‘s chances of joining MLS. [ 12 ] On August 31, 2012, Rawlins told the Orlando Business Journal the team could get the Major League Soccer approval a early as deep 2013, and be ready to play in the league by 2014 or 2015. Rawlins said to make that happen, the league had asked the team to explore building a 22,000-seat soccer-specific stadium. “ They did n’t say we had to have a stadium built before we could join, but they at least would like a plan that it ‘s happening. ” [ 13 ] On November 19, 2013, Orlando City SC was announced as the league ‘s twenty-first franchise. [ 5 ] The team ‘s fresh logo was unveiled in May 2014 [ 14 ] and the team signed their first player to an MLS compress, former Brazil international Kaká, a month former. Kaká, who besides became the team ‘s first Designated Player after his liberation from A.C. Milan, was immediately loaned to São Paulo until the start of the MLS season. [ 15 ] [ 16 ] In the same month, Orlando City announced a partnership with Benfica. [ 17 ] As depart of that partnership, Orlando City belated signed two players from Benfica U19s – Estrela and Rafael Ramos – to MLS contracts on August 7, 2014. [ 18 ] On November 21, 2014, head bus adrian Heath signed a abridge annex committing him to the club until the conclusion of the 2017 MLS season. [ 19 ] As an expansion team, Orlando had the beginning overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and used it to select canadian fore Cyle Larin. [ 20 ]
The team hosted their first MLS game at the Citrus Bowl on March 8, 2015, against fellow expansion team New York City FC, in front of a crowd of 62,510. Kaká scored in stop clock to earn a 1–1 draw. [ 21 ] In the stick to game, they defeated Houston Dynamo 1–0 on the road to earn their first victory. [ 22 ] On March 21, Orlando conceded a former stop prison term goal to Octavio Rivero of Vancouver Whitecaps for their first gear kill. [ 23 ] In their inaugural season Orlando City finished 7th in the Eastern Conference and 14th in the overall standings, falling short of the playoffs by one point. Larin scored 17 goals across the temper, breaking Damani Ralph ‘s record of 13 as a cub and earned the MLS Rookie of the Year Award. [ 24 ] Midway through the 2016 temper, following disappointing results and operation of the team, head coach adrian Heath was fired in July 2016. [ 25 ] He was replaced by Jason Kreis. however, the Lions ended the season missing the playoffs once again. In 2017, the Lions moved to the purpose built Orlando City Stadium. With the team again struggling, they attempted to improve during the summer transmit window by acquiring Sporting Kansas City striker Dom Dwyer who had played for Orlando City ‘s USL Pro team on-loan in 2013, notably scoring four goals in the USL Pro Championship Final. The club traded incentives totaling to $ 1.6 million, a record trade wind between two MLS clubs at the meter. [ 26 ] The team again failed to reach the postseason. Kaká announced that he would not return for Orlando City and soon after confirmed his retirement. [ 27 ] fifteen games into the 2018 season, Orlando City released head bus Jason Kreis after closely two seasons. [ 28 ] Two weeks late, USL club Louisville City FC announced steer coach James O’Connor, a former defender and adjunct coach of the original Orlando City franchise, was to become Kreis ‘s replacement. [ 29 ] however, O’Connor alone managed two wins in his 18 games in charge in 2018 as City missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season and besides set a new MLS record with 74 goals conceded on the year. [ 30 ] O’Connor was fired at the end of the 2019 season with the team missing out on playoffs again and remaining 11th in the Eastern Conference. [ 31 ] ahead of the 2020 temper, Orlando hired former Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas head coach Óscar Pareja. [ 32 ] With the season disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Orlando competed in the MLS is Back Tournament held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in July and August. The Lions reached the final examination, finally losing to the Portland Timbers 2–1. [ 33 ] MLS resumed the regular temper on August 12. [ 34 ] After failing to make the postseason the previous five years, Orlando snapped the articulation second-longest MLS playoff drought in history under the guidance of Pareja. The Lions reached the conference semi-finals, eliminating New York City FC in a dramatic penalty gunfight in the first attack before losing to New England Revolution. On May 12, 2021, Orlando City majority owner Flavio Augusto district attorney silva announced he was in advance negotiations with Zygi and Mark Wilf, owners of the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL, for the sale of the club including the Orlando Pride, Exploria Stadium and early relate soccer assets. The blend rate of the conduct was estimated at $ 400–450 million. [ 35 ]

stadium [edit ]

Orlando City Soccer Stadium Exploria Stadium In April 2013, the City of Orlando purchased business district bring for $ 8.2 million to be used towards the construction of a $ 110 million MLS soccer stadium. [ 36 ] however, in May, the Florida House of Representatives failed to vote on a bill that had passed the Senate that would have provided up to $ 30 million in state funds towards the stadium project. Phil Rawlins responded by expressing his captive to find alternate financing and keep seeking MLS expansion. [ 37 ] The mechanism to allow for the sales tax rebate for the MLS team was ultimately passed on April 25, 2014. [ 38 ] The Orlando downtown soccer stadium moved closer to securing support on August 8, 2013, when Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer reached an agreement on a deal to provide fiscal confirm for a diverseness of Orlando projects including the new MLS soccer stadium. [ 39 ] The last musical composition in stadium fund was an October 2013 vote on using an existing tourism tax to fund the concluding quarter of the $ 80 million stadium project. [ 40 ] On October 22, 2013, the Orange County Board of Commissioners voted 5–2 to approve the practice of $ 20 million in tourist development tax funds to build an $ 84 million multi-purpose soccer stadium in business district Orlando. [ 41 ] On May 29, 2015, after two years trying to get fund from the state of Florida, Flávio Augusto district attorney silva announced that the stadium would be privately funded in its entirety and would be owned and operated by the club. He besides announced plans to increase capacity to between 25,000 and 28,000 and that the golf club would buy the initial location from the City of Orlando. [ 42 ] On March 5, 2017, Orlando City hosted New York City FC in the stadium ‘s inaugural address match to begin the 2017 season. Cyle Larin scored the first base goal in stadium history as Orlando City won 1–0 in front of a sellout push of 25,550. [ 43 ] In 2017, Exploria Stadium became the foremost venue to host an MLS, NWSL, and USL team all in the same location. [ 44 ] The stadium has besides played host to respective nationally relevant matches. On October 6, 2017, the United States Men ‘s National Team played its 2018 World Cup Qualifier against Panama in the stadium. [ 45 ] The following workweek the 2017 NWSL Championship game between North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns was besides played there. [ 46 ] On June 4, 2019, the naming rights to the stadium were sold to Florida-based time share and vacation rental company Exploria Resorts. As a solution, the stadium was renamed Exploria Stadium. [ 47 ] On July 31, 2019, the stadium hosted the 2019 MLS All-Star Game between Atlético Madrid and the MLS All-Stars, which Atlético won 3–0. [ 48 ]

Camping World stadium [edit ]

Camping World Stadium (pictured), Orlando City’s home venue for their first two seasons. ), Orlando City ‘s home venue for their first two seasons. anterior to the completion of Orlando City ‘s soccer specific stadium, the Lions occupied the then-named Citrus Bowl for their first two seasons in Major League soccer, which the team had besides invested in for renovations. In the hatchway home matches of the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Orlando City ran their “ fill the roll ” crusade, which led to sell-out push of over 60,000. [ 49 ] Orlando City averaged over 30,000 in attendance while using the stadium. [ 50 ]

Developmental system [edit ]

MLS dissolved its reserve league in 2014. Like most MLS teams, Orlando now has a USL affiliate by means of Orlando City B, a USL League One team based at Osceola County Stadium. [ 51 ] Orlando City primitively had an affiliation agreement with Louisville City FC, the club that bought the USL license from the owners of the Orlando City. The agreement provided that Orlando City will loanword at least four players to Louisville City during the season. [ 52 ] In 2016, Orlando City ended their affiliation with Louisville and began its own USL expansion franchise OCB who primitively played at Titan Soccer Complex. [ 53 ] The team played two seasons in USL before going on suspension in 2018. The team returned in 2019 following a league restructure and became a establish member of USL1, the third gear grade of the US Soccer pyramid, contesting two seasons and finishing in death station both years before going on suspension again with a view to joining a potential relaunched MLS reserve league in the future. [ 54 ] [ 55 ] In OCB ‘s absence in 2021, Orlando City resurrected their under-23 team to play in the developmental United Premier Soccer League. [ 56 ] In 2010, the establish class of Orlando City ‘s original USL franchise, the team allied with Central Florida Kraze of the Premier Development League to assist actor development. Following their successful first season, Orlando City acquired a controlling sake in the Kraze and renamed them Orlando City U-23. The team has a bequest that includes several current and past MLS players, and won the PDL Championship in 2004. In stead of OCB ‘s universe, the U-23 team was folded after the 2015 season. After their 2011 season, Orlando City besides acquired controlling concern in the Florida Soccer Alliance youth soccer club, renaming them Orlando City Youth Soccer Club. The clubhouse is now a extremity of the Elite Club National League ( ECNL ) and has several boys and girls teams competing at local, department of state and national tied with age groups from 8 to 18. [ 57 ]

Facilities [edit ]

In May 2019, the team announced plans to move all of Orlando City ‘s development pyramid to one single shared adeptness, creating a 20-acre ( 8.1 hour angle ) training complex at Osceola Heritage Park to family the senior MLS team, OCB and Development Academy. [ 58 ] The web site, in Kissimmee, Florida, includes four commit fields—three natural grass and one artificial turf—a fitness, education and recovery center ; a players ‘ lounge, meal room and a film room angstrom well as 30,000 feather feet ( 2,800 m2 ) of function space for working staff and facilities to support media operations. Osceola County Stadium was converted into a soccer-specific stadium and acts as the home stadium of OCB. [ 59 ] It was a vision first set out by executive VP of soccer operations, Luiz Muzzi, upon his appointment in December 2018 as a mean of solidifying the in-house grapevine from youth to professional. [ 60 ] The adeptness was formally opened on January 17, 2020. [ 61 ]

Colors and badge [edit ]

The logo for Orlando City ‘s expansion team was unveiled in 2014. The independent aspects, including the purple color system and leo ident, carried over from the logo of the USL Pro team. New features and changes were introduced to represent the transition of the franchise into a first division team. The logo consists of a gold Lion face with 21 sun flares making up its mane sitting within a purple harbor. The number of flares represents the clubhouse ‘s placement as the twenty-first team in MLS, while the sun-shaped mane is in mention to Florida ‘s nickname as The Sunshine State. The team name is besides seen in the crest in white. [ 62 ]

Uniform development [edit ]

  • Home


2015–2016

2017–2018

2019–2020
2021–
  • Away
2015 2016–2017 2018–2019
2020–
Season Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Ref.
2015–present Adidas Orlando Health [63]

Orlando Health has been the official shirt patronize for Orlando City SC since the team ‘s origin as a USL franchise in 2010. In 2013, Orlando Health extended its partnership with the cabaret, becoming the beginning jersey partner in MLS history to commit to an expansion club anterior to its admission to the league. Adidas besides signed on as the club ‘s kit supplier for the 2015 temper as per the league-wide softwood made by MLS. [ 63 ] The deal means that there are no longer third kits and entirely one kit ( between the home and away ) is permitted to change per season, rotating on an annual footing. [ 64 ]

Supporters [edit ]

The club had sold over 13,000 season tickets before playing its first equal in March 2015, [ 65 ] selling all 14,000 available season tickets late that month. [ 66 ] As of the 2017 season, Orlando City ‘s temper ticket base stands at a cap of 18,000. [ 67 ] On March 8, 2015, 62,510 people were in attendance for Orlando ‘s base undoer versus New York City FC, a record of any expansion team, and finished the year with the second-highest average attendance figures behind only Seattle Sounders FC, again setting a raw record for an expansion team. [ 68 ] [ 69 ] The clubhouse has two major active supporters groups, which combine forces on game days to create “ The Wall ” now housed in the safe stand department : The Ruckus and The Iron Lion Firm. [ 70 ] The Ruckus is the oldest of these groups founded in 2010, original formed in 2009 as the “ Orlando Soccer Supporters Club ” without an affiliation to any particular soccer team. [ citation needed ] The Iron Lion Firm separated from The Ruckus anterior to the start of City ‘s first season. [ citation needed ] The golf club besides has officially recognized international fan clubs in both Brazil and the United Kingdom. [ 71 ]

mascot [edit ]

Orlando City ‘s mascot is Kingston, an anthropomorphize and “ bulked up ” lion complete with dreadlocks. [ 72 ]

Players [edit ]

roll [edit ]

As of December 17, 2021[73]
Player Nationality

Out on loanword [edit ]

No. Pos. Player Nationality

staff [edit ]

As of July 28, 2021[74][75]
Executive
Majority owner and chairman Mark Wilf
Majority owner and vice-chair Zygi Wilf
Majority owner and vice-chair Leonard Wilf
Executive VP of soccer operations Luiz Muzzi
Director of soccer and scouting Ricardo Moreira
Coaching staff
Head coach Óscar Pareja
Assistant coach Jose Bazán
Assistant coach Diego Torres Ortiz
Strength and conditioning coach Fabián Bazán
Goalkeeping coach César Baena

Affiliated clubs [edit ]

Orlando City SC
Technical partnerships

team records [edit ]

list of seasons [edit ]

This is a complete list of seasons for the MLS franchise. For a season-by-season history including the preceding Orlando City SC ( 2010–2014 ) USL franchise, see List of Orlando City SC seasons .
generator

head coaches [edit ]

  • Only competitive games counted. Includes MLS regular season, MLS playoffs, MLS is Back Tournament, and U.S. Open Cup.
As of matches played November 23, 2021
All-time Orlando City SC coaching stats
Name Nationality From To P W D L GF GA Win%[nb 1]
Adrian Heath   November 21, 2014 July 6, 2016 55 18 17 20

Read more: FIFA 21 Pro Clubs

83 94 0 32.73
Bobby Murphy (interim)   July 7, 2016 July 23, 2016 4 0 3 1 4 6 00 0.00
Jason Kreis   July 24, 2016 June 15, 2018 65 22 13 30 90 117 0 33.85
Bobby Murphy (interim)   June 16, 2018 July 1, 2018 3 0 1 2 1 7 00 0.00
James O’Connor   July 2, 2018 October 7, 2019 56 13 14 29 69 95 0 23.21
Óscar Pareja   December 4, 2019 present 65 26 22 17 99 85 0 40.00
Total 248 79 70 99 346 404 0 31.85

club captains [edit ]

See besides [edit ]

References [edit ]