Since we launched Orlando City UK in November 2015, we’ve watched Major League Soccer become more popular than ever before in the United Kingdom.
A huge part of this has been LIVE televised games. Now Orlando City SC‘s 2021 MLS campaign is over, we took this moment to reflect on just how many City fixtures were televised live in Great Britain this year.
This year, the free-to-air FreeSports televised more live Orlando City SC games than ever before.
Topping up Sky Sports’ steady stream of live Lions fixtures, British Orlando City SC supporters received regular live coverage all season long.
Combining the 2021 MLS regular season and the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs, 23 of Orlando City SC’s 35 overall fixtures were selected for live UK broadcast this season.
Ultimately 66% of Orlando City SC‘s total number of fixtures were shown live on British telly.
Not bad for a team competing over 4,300 miles away across the Atlantic Ocean!
Orlando City UK salutes you for this coverage, FreeSports and Sky Sports.
Live UK televised Orlando City SC fixtures in 2021
2021 MLS regular season
| DATE | OPPONENT | VENUE | TIME (GMT) | BROADCAST |
| Sat., April 17 | Atlanta United FC | Exploria Stadium | 20:00 | FreeSports |
| Sat., April 24 | Sporting Kansas City | Children’s Mercy Park | 00:30 | FreeSports |
| Sun., May 2 | FC Cincinnati | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Sat., May 8 | New York City FC | Exploria Stadium | 23:00 | FreeSports |
| Mon., May 17 | D.C. United | Audi Field | 01:00 | FreeSports |
| Sun., May 23 | Toronto FC | Exploria Stadium | 00:00 | |
| Sat., May 29 | New York Red Bulls | Red Bull Arena | 18:00 | Sky Sports Football |
| Sun., June 20 | Toronto FC | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Wed., June 23 | San Jose Earthquakes | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | FreeSports |
| Sat., June 26 | Inter Miami CF | DRV PNK Stadium | 01:00 | FreeSports |
| Sun., July 4 | New York Red Bulls | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | FreeSports |
| Thurs., July 8 | Chicago Fire FC | Soldier Field | 01:00 | FreeSports |
| Sun., July 18 | Toronto FC | BMO Field | 00:30 | |
| Fri., July 23 | Philadelphia Union | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | Sky Sports Football |
| Sun., July 25 | New York City FC | Yankee Stadium | 23:00 | Sky Sports Football |
| Sat., July 31 | Atlanta United FC | Exploria Stadium | 01:00 | FreeSports |
| Thurs., Aug. 5 | Inter Miami CF | Exploria Stadium | 01:00 | Sky Sports Football |
| Sun., Aug. 8 | FC Cincinnati | TQL Stadium | 00:30 | FreeSports |
| Thurs., Aug. 19 | Nashville SC | Nissan Stadium | 01:30 | |
| Sun., Aug. 22 | Chicago Fire FC | Exploria Stadium | 01:00 | |
| Sat., Aug. 28 | Inter Miami CF | Exploria Stadium | 01:30 | Sky Sports Football |
| Sun., Sept., 5 | Columbus Crew SC | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | Sky Sports Football |
| Sat., Sept. 11 | Atlanta United FC | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 00:00 | FreeSports |
| Thurs., Sept. 16 | CF Montréal | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | FreeSports |
| Sun., Sept. 19 | Philadelphia Union | Subaru Park | 21:00 | Sky Sports Football |
| Sun., Sept. 26 | New England Revolution | Gillette Stadium | 00:00 | |
| Thurs., Sept. 30 | Nashville SC | Nissan Stadium | 01:30 | |
| Sun., Oct. 3 | D.C. United | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Sun., Oct. 17 | FC Cincinnati | TQL Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Thurs., Oct. 21 | CF Montréal | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Mon., Oct. 25 | New England Revolution | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | FreeSports |
| Thurs., Oct. 28 | Columbus Crew SC | Lower.com Field | 00:30 | |
| Sun., Oct. 31 | Nashville SC | Exploria Stadium | 20:00 | Sky Sports Football |
| Sun., Nov. 7 | CF Montréal | Stade Saputo | 20:30 | Sky Sports Football |
2021 MLS Cup Playoffs
| DATE | OPPONENT | VENUE | TIME (GMT) | BROADCAST |
| Wed., Nov. 24 | Nashville SC | Nissan Stadium | 01:00 | FreeSports / Sky Sports Football |
UK Orlando City SC coverage is the best its ever been
All in all, it’s never been easier to watch live Orlando City SC fixtures in the UK.
Even in our early years before reaching the post-season, Orlando City SC have always been a go-to choice for UK broadcasters looking to appease Brits with a casual to firm interest in Major League Soccer.
In 2020, 19 of Orlando City SC’s 29 overall fixtures were selected for live UK broadcast.
Before that, in 2019, 19 of Orlando City SC’s 34 regular season fixtures were selected for UK broadcast too.
This followed 11 live televised Lions games in 2017.
Near the top of the Eastern Conference all season long, Orlando City SC were relevant from April to November, meaning even more broadcasting spots than might’ve been.
Besides being more competitive, and thus selected more times for TV, Orlando City SC are always a big draw anyway!
Beyond signing decorated stars like Kaká and Nani over the years, Brits’ fascination with The City Beautiful as a popular holiday destination is much publicised.
We also like to think that our Official International Fan Club of Orlando City SC, Orlando City UK, has something to do with the games selected by Sky Sports and FreeSports too.
With our @Orlando_CityUK Twitter account established six years ago with a loyal army of 3.7k followers, we’re convinced that Orlando City SC are the best supported MLS franchise in Great Britain.
For us, the amount of live televised broadcasts this year underlines this point.
GOOD NEWS 🚨 | @NashvilleSC 🆚 @OrlandoCitySC in the 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣1️⃣ #MLSCupPlayoffs is LIVE on @FreeSports_TV & @SkySports Football in the early hours of Wednesday morning. 👍🏽
VIEW OUR TV TRACKER 📺: https://t.co/KV9JvpSaRW#NSHvORL #EveryoneN #OrlandoCity #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/NklRmoTQpB
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) November 23, 2021
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