Orlando City UK celebrates our ninth birthday: 2024 round-up

/ Taylor Williams

Today, we’re celebrating our ninth birthday here at Orlando City UK with our Official International Fan Club of Orlando City SC established nine years ago.

Reaching the MLS Cup Playoffs for a fifth consecutive season, Oscar Pareja has Orlando City SC in their third-ever Eastern Conference Semi-Final.

And ever since February 25, our loyal UK supporters have watched every kick live on Apple TV this side of the Atlantic.

No Orlando City SC game 🙁

Unfortunately, unlike previous years, we haven’t made it out to Central Florida for an Orlando City SC game this season.

Always longing to be at home games in The City Beautiful, I’ve been daydreaming about revisiting for a potential 2024 MLS Cup at Inter&Co Stadium – the holy grail fixture and the title we all desperately crave!

2024 Orlando City SC away jersey (The Legacy Kit) *official* unboxing

Each time a new Orlando City SC jersey is released, we like to provide our Twitter followers an up close and personal look at the latest design.

In early March, we got our hands on the 2024 Orlando City SC home jersey (The Legacy Kit) and released our own unboxing video.

I also opted to get our new Designated Player Luis Muriel on the back of my secondary lavender kit.

This year’s away jersey launch was extra special for us.

Not just performing our usual unboxing video for you all, Orlando City SC exclusively invited me to record this official TikTok version for the club.

This was ahead of the Lions’ 10 Year Anniversary Match against Minnesota United at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday, March 9.

Instead of our home purple, City suited up in The Legacy Kit when the Loons came to town.

Membership growth

Our Official International Fan Club of Orlando City SC now boasts 71 loyal and passionate Orlando City UK members spread across the UK, Europe, and North America.

As you can see from our Orlando City UK Fan Map, Orlando City SC supporters are spread throughout every corner of Great Britain, underlining the Lions’ mass appeal on our shores.

Since establishing Orlando City UK in November 2015, it’s been an aim of mine to make Orlando City SC the best supported Major League Soccer franchise in Great Britain and for us, we are exactly that!

Sign up for Orlando City UK membership yourself by clicking here.

Live Blog matchday coverage

We conducted live blog matchday coverage yet again this year.

2024 saw us keep Orlando City SC supporters up-to-date with the key plays from over half of the Lions’ 41 overall fixtures so far (MLS, CONCACAF Champions Cup, MLS Cup Playoffs) in real time on Twitter, or X as it’s called these days.

A hugely effective way to join in the greater Orlando City SC conversation online, we thank every single follower for their likes, comments, and retweets throughout the course of the 2024 campaign.

And who could forget November 9?

The Lions thrilled fans with a last gasp stoppage-time equaliser (1-1) and a 4-1 penalty shootout win over Charlotte FC in Round One (game three) of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.

This super dramatic result saw us advance to our third-ever Eastern Conference Semi-Final.

42 Stats Previews – so far!

Throughout 2024, Orlando City UK has yet again provided comprehensive Statistical Match Previews for every single Orlando City SC fixture in Major League Soccer.

And this year, we made our Stats Previews better than ever before!

Each preview featured dedicated sections, including ‘Last time out’, ‘Last head-to-head’, ‘What’s at stake this time?’, ‘Opposition danger men’, ‘New opposition faces’, and ‘Injuries and suspensions’.

This gave Orlando City SC supporters the ultimate lowdown, capturing the authentic feelings and spirit of the fanbase with each passing gameweek.

Across all 34 of our MLS regular season Stats Previews, we included five well-researched stats per game.

Additionally, we covered Orlando City SC’s participation in the FC Series 2024, the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, and their current run in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Altogether, Orlando City UK has generated an impressive 210 individual stats in 2024 so far.

2024 Leagues Cup boycott

Ever since April 2016 when Brek Shea scored that banger against Portland Timbers at the Citrus Bowl, we haven’t missed a single Orlando City SC Stats Preview.

That was until July 26 when Orlando City SC faced CF Montréal in their opening game of the 2024 Leagues Cup.

In the past, I’ve provided Stats Previews and live blog matchday coverage for the mid-season tournament, but this year, that changed.

This was after Major League Soccer’s shocking and bitterly disappointing decision to dilute the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Back in March, it was confirmed that only eight MLS first teams would participate in the U.S. Open Cup – with Orlando City SC missing out.

Only five years old, Leagues Cup effectively replaced a legitimate U.S. Open Cup this season.

Lacking integrity, we believe this decision was highly disrespectful and completely undermined the history of the oldest cup competition for soccer in the United States.

Therefore, Orlando City UK didn’t extend its support to the 2024 Leagues Cup.

Recognising that our withdrawal wasn’t a decision made by the Orlando City SC players or coaching staff, we wished them the very best of luck in the tournament.

But in order to raise awareness about the bigger issue at hand, there was no Leagues Cup Stats Previews or match coverage from us in July or August.

We eagerly anticipate Orlando City SC returning to a complete and proper U.S. Open Cup in 2025.

Especially after our triumphant tournament victory in 2022 – one of my most cherished memories in soccer.

#TheOpenCupMatters – #SaveTheOpenCup

“Walk and Talk” continuation

As I’m sure many of you will agree, working from home has many pros but a con is the feeling of claustrophobia.

To get out of the house, to enjoy a healthier work-life balance, and to walk my King Charles Cavalier Spaniel “Denny”, I continued Orlando City UK’s “Walk and Talk” series after establishing it last year.

In this series of 5-minute first-person videos, I preview the next Orlando City SC game ahead, also recapping the action from the game most recently played.

It’s been really enjoyable creating this content and I’m super grateful for the fantastic feedback I’ve received.

And yes, my dog “Denny” truly earns his name from the popular American diner-style restaurant chain!

Regular news output

While Statistical Match Previews were Orlando City UK’s main offering to the Orlando City SC community online, so too were the biggest Orlando City SC headlines of the year.

As part of our crowdsourced segment “Twitter Reacts”, Orlando City UK wrote features about player acquisitions including Wilder Cartagena, Iván Angulo, Nicolás Lodeiro, David Brekalo, Luis Muriel, Jeorgio Kocevski, Yutaro Tsukada, and Heine Gikling Bruseth.

Plus, a feature about Antônio Carlos’ December 2023 transfer to Brazilian side Fluminense.

We also wrote this feature about Duncan McGuire’s loan move to Blackburn Rovers before writing this follow-up feature about its infamous collapse.

Elsewhere, we wrote features about new contracts for Oscar Pareja, Facundo Torres, Robin Jansson, Luiz Muzzi, Ricardo Moreira, and Duncan McGuire.

And features about the 2024 Orlando City SC away jersey launch, the 2024 Orlando City SC Adidas One Planet pre-match top, and a ratings and stats lowdown for Orlando City SC players on EA Sports FC 25.

Interview appearances

Always delighted to discuss Orlando City SC online, I joined fellow City fans Loud and Proud Orlando and On The Capo Stand throughout the course of 2024.

Thanks for your support!

Orlando City UK is looking forward to providing in-depth coverage of Orlando City SC throughout the off-season and into 2025.

We’d like to take this moment to thank every single one of our followers for your unwavering support.

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Support Orlando City UK

Passionate about what we do, Orlando City UK content will always be free. The most important thing for us is sharing our love of Orlando City SC with you all and donations are by no means expected. However, if you enjoy our content, a token towards the regular maintenance of Orlando City UK is hugely appreciated!

Let us know what content you enjoyed and what you’d like to see from Orlando City UK in 2025.

Comment below or tweet us at @Orlando_CityUK.

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