Since establishing Orlando City UK back 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 2022 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, between the free-to-air FreeSports, Premier Sports, and Sky Sports, this trifecta of channels broadcast almost half of Orlando City SC‘s 2022 MLS fixtures.
Combining the 2022 MLS regular season and the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs, 17 of Orlando City SC’s 35 overall fixtures were selected for live UK broadcast this season.
Ultimately 48% of Orlando City SC‘s total number of fixtures were shown live on British telly.
Admittedly, this is down from 23 live games (68%) in 2021 but is still not bad for a team competing over 4,300 miles away across the Atlantic Ocean!
Orlando City UK salutes you for this coverage, FreeSports, Premier Sports, and Sky Sports!
Live UK televised Orlando City SC fixtures in 2022
2022 MLS regular season
| DATE | OPPONENT | VENUE | TIME (GMT) | BROADCAST |
| Sun., Feb. 27 | CF Montréal | Exploria Stadium | 18:00 | |
| Sat., Mar. 5 | Chicago Fire | Soldier Field | 23:00 | |
| Sun., Mar. 13 | FC Cincinnati | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Sat., Mar. 19 | LA Galaxy | Dignity Health Sports Park |
19:30 | FreeSports |
| Sun., Mar. 27 | Portland Timbers |
Providence Park | 21:00 | FreeSports |
| Sun., Apr. 3 | Los Angeles FC |
Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Sat., Apr. 9 | Chicago Fire | Exploria Stadium | 18:00 | FreeSports |
| Sun., Apr. 17 | Columbus Crew |
Lower.com Field | 00:30 | |
| Sun., Apr. 24 | New York Red Bulls |
Exploria Stadium | 20:30 | |
| Sun., May 1 | Charlotte FC | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Sat., May 7 | CF Montréal | Stade Saputo | 21:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Sat., May 14 | Toronto FC | BMO Field | 20:00 | |
| Mon., May 23 | Austin FC | Q2 Stadium | 01:00 | |
| Sun., May 29 | FC Dallas | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Thu., Jun. 16 | New England Revolution |
Gillette Stadium | 00:30 | FreeSports |
| Sun., Jun. 19 | Houston Dynamo |
Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Sat., Jun. 25 | FC Cincinnati | TQL Stadium | 00:30 | FreeSports |
| Tue., Jul. 5 | D.C. United | Exploria Stadium | 00:00 | FreeSports |
| Sun., Jul. 10 | Inter Miami | Exploria Stadium | 01:00 | FreeSports |
| Thu., Jul. 14 | Colorado Rapids |
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park |
02:00 | |
| Sun., Jul. 17 | Atlanta United |
Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
20:00 | |
| Sun., Jul. 24 | Philadelphia Union |
Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Sun., Jul. 31 | D.C. United | Audi Field | 22:00 | Sky Sports Football |
| Sun., Aug. 7 | New England Revolution |
Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Sat., Aug. 13 | New York Red Bulls |
Red Bull Arena | 23:00 | Sky Sports Football |
| Mon., Aug. 22 | Charlotte FC | Bank of America Stadium |
00:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Mon., Aug. 29 | New York City FC |
Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | FreeSports |
| Thu., Sep. 1 | Seattle Sounders |
Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Sun., Sep. 11 | Philadelphia Union |
Subaru Park | 00:30 | |
| Wed., Sep. 14 | Atlanta United |
Exploria Stadium | 23:00 | Sky Sports Football |
| Sun., Sep. 17 | Toronto FC | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Sun., Oct. 2 | New York City FC |
Red Bull Arena | 18:00 | |
| Thu., Oct. 6 | Inter Miami | DRV PNK Stadium |
01:00 | FreeSports |
| Sun., Oct. 9 | Columbus Crew |
Exploria Stadium | 19:30 | Sky Sports Football |
2022 MLS Cup Playoffs
| DATE | OPPONENT | VENUE | TIME (GMT) | BROADCAST |
| Mon., Oct. 17 | CF Montréal | Stade Saputo | 01:00 | FreeSports / Sky Sports Football |
2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
| DATE | OPPONENT | VENUE | TIME (GMT) | BROADCAST |
| Thu., Apr. 21 | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
Exploria Stadium | 00:00 | |
| Wed., May 11 | Philadelphia Union |
Exploria Stadium | 00:00 | |
| Thu., May 26 | Inter Miami | Exploria Stadium | 00:00 | |
| Thu., Jun. 30 | Nashville SC | Exploria Stadium | 00:00 | |
| Thu., Jul. 28 | New York Red Bulls |
Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | |
| Thu., Sep. 8 | Sacramento Republic |
Exploria Stadium | 01:00 |
FC Series Clash of Nations 2022
| DATE | OPPONENT | VENUE | TIME (GMT) | BROADCAST |
| Thu., Jul. 21 | Arsenal | Exploria Stadium | 00:30 | Arsenal.com |
A bonus game was broadcast by Arsenal.com too – Orlando City SC‘s July 20 clash with Premier League giants Arsenal in the FC Series Clash of Nations 2022.
This game hasn’t been included in our regular end-of-season calculation however.
As for our victorious 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign, unfortunately for British fans, neither FreeSports, nor Premier Sports or Sky Sports had seized rights to televise any games in this competition.
Apple TV set to revolutionise UK Orlando City SC coverage
Back in June, Apple and MLS agreed a ten-year global broadcast deal worth US$250 million a season.
From early 2023 through 2032, Major League Soccer fans will be able to stream every single MLS match through the Apple TV app, without any geographical blackouts or restrictions.
This is simply huge for internationally based die-hard MLS supporters like ourselves!
Besides the UK televised games we discussed above, the Apple TV deal essentially marks the end of having to rely on intermittent live streams for non-televised games, often in languages that aren’t our own.
Sadly however, what us UK supporters have gained through the Apple TV deal, it also appears we’re losing with the abrupt ending of Orlando City SC‘s much-loved local broadcast.
Footed by hugely talented trio Evan Weston, Miguel Gallardo, and Gabrielle Amado in recent seasons, we wish all three the very best of luck in their individual broadcasting careers going forward – not that they need it!
Wishing @EvanLWeston, @migallardo01 and @gabamado all the best for the future. You guys are awesome. 😢
What us 🇬🇧 fans gained with the @AppleTV deal, it appears we’re also losing with the loss our much-loved local broadcast. A bitter pill. 😔
Have a great show on Wednesday. 🎤 https://t.co/E5tCCkVau8 pic.twitter.com/4wPaTreQl9
— x – Orlando City UK 🏆 (@Orlando_CityUK) October 3, 2022
From the international standpoint though, the Apple TV deal probably falls at a good time for us UK Orlando City SC supporters.
As we mentioned at the outset, only 17 of Orlando City SC‘s 35 MLS games (48%) were selected for live broadcast in 2022, down from 23 of 35 (68%) in 2021.
Having just concluded our eighth season in MLS, it appears the initial allure of Orlando City SC has faded in the eyes of the UK broadcasters.
In fairness, performing nearer the top of the Eastern Conference throughout 2022 might’ve meant more live televised opportunities.
But if you ask me, with internationally renowned stars like Kaká and Nani no longer Lions, our lack of a globally recognised figurehead maybe contributed to the reason we weren’t on UK telly as much.
Reflecting on the FreeSports, Premier Sports, Sky Sports x MLS era
All in all, reflecting on FreeSports, Premier Sports and Sky Sports’ coverage of Orlando City SC down the years, the Lions have generally been a go-to choice for UK broadcasters looking to appease Brits with a casual to firm interest in Major League Soccer.
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 FreeSports, Premier Sports, and Sky Sports too.
With our @Orlando_CityUK Twitter account established seven years ago with a loyal army of 4.3k 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 over the years underlines this point.
- In 2022, 17 of Orlando City SC’s 35 overall MLS fixtures were selected for live UK broadcast
- In 2021, 23 of Orlando City SC’s 35 overall MLS fixtures were selected for live UK broadcast
- In 2020, 19 of Orlando City SC’s 29 overall MLS fixtures were selected for live UK broadcast
- In 2019, 19 of Orlando City SC’s 34 overall MLS fixtures were selected for live UK broadcast
- Orlando City UK has no data for the 2018 season
- In 2017, 11 of Orlando City SC’s 34 overall MLS fixtures were selected for live UK broadcast
- Orlando City UK has no data for the 2016 season
- Orlando City UK has no data for the 2015 season
GOOD NEWS 🚨 | @OrlandoCitySC 🆚 @InterMiamiCF will be shown LIVE on @FreeSports_TV in the early hours of July 10. 😄📺⚽👏🏽
VIEW TV TRACKER 📺: https://t.co/KV9JvpAA0o#OCTwitter #ORLvMIA #OrlandoCity #InterMiamiCF #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/33HD45A3hH
— x – Orlando City UK 🏆 (@Orlando_CityUK) July 5, 2022
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