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

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. Continue reading

Twitter reacts to… Yutaro Tsukada signing a first team contract with Orlando City SC

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In news first broken by Manuel Veth back on August 8, the Lions officially announced today that Orlando City B winger Yutaro Tsukada has signed a first team contract with Orlando City SC through 2025 with club options in 2026 and 2027.

The first ‘new’ signing Orlando City SC have completed during the MLS Secondary Transfer Window, things have been super quiet prior to Tsukada’s first team arrival. But Tsukada will soon be joined by Norway Under-21 international Heine Gikling Bruseth after City agreed a €1.7 million deal for the Kristiansund midfielder. Continue reading

Twitter reacts to… Orlando City SC signing 2024 MLS SuperDraft pick Jeorgio Kocevski

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After selecting him as the 21st overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft back on December 19, Orlando City SC have today announced that midfielder Jeorgio Kocevski has been signed to a first team contract at Inter&Co Stadium.

Part way through Round 1 of the draft, the Lions traded $50,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money and $75,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money to Colorado Rapids in exchange for the 21st overall pick. Clearly hoping to get their hands on Kocevski, it all turned out as planned for the Orlando City SC Front Office. After all, the 21-year-old is now officially a Lion and hoping to emulate the success of former draft picks Cyle Larin, Daryl Dike, and Duncan McGuire before him. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Cavalry FC vs Orlando City SC – 21.02.2024

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Just three days before our 2024 Major League Soccer campaign gets underway, Orlando City SC are set to experience a super unique away day as they visit Langford, British Columbia to take on Cavalry FC of the Canadian Premier League in Round One of the newly rebranded 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

The first of two legs to determine who will face Tigres UANL in the Round of 16, this is City’s second successive appearance in North America’s premier club competition. This time, the Lions have been spared the brutal sub-zero February temperatures of Calgary, Alberta with the game being moved from ATCO Field to Starlight Stadium due to understandable pitch concerns. Continue reading

Duncan McGuire to return to Orlando City SC as Blackburn Rovers loan collapses

(Credit: Blackburn Rovers)

After an EFL Board meeting today, Duncan McGuire’s six-month loan move to Blackburn Rovers has now officially collapsed due to an ‘administrative error’ by the EFL Championship side. In other words, the move has fallen through because McGuire’s registration paperwork was submitted after England’s January transfer window deadline of 11pm back on Thursday, February 1. On Tuesday, Tom Bogert even went as far to tweet that Rovers only clicked “save” and not “submit paperwork” before the deadline in what is truly a farcical clerical error. Turning 23 on Monday, this has been no way to spend a birthday with McGuire now having to return to Orlando City SC with immediate effect.

This dramatic transfer saga peaked last Wednesday when McGuire took a flight to England, only for Rovers to call Orlando City SC and our striker’s agent to inform us that they were pulling out of a deal. McGuire then remained grounded in England as fellow suitors Sheffield Wednesday re-entered the race, only for Rovers to then remarkably re-enter negotiations themselves, finally announcing Duncan McGuire’s six-month loan arrival on social media at 23:02, minutes after the January transfer window deadline had passed.

Orlando City UK now understands that Blackburn will fly over to the United States over the coming weeks to try to conclude a pre-contract agreement with Orlando City SC, so that Duncan McGuire can officially become a Rovers player in the summer. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Flamengo – 27.01.2024

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In a new calendar year, we get to witness our beloved Orlando City SC take the field earlier than ever before with the Lions hosting Brazilian giants Flamengo at our newly renamed Inter&Co Stadium in a friendly match as part of the FC Series 2024.

A friendly announced back on December 7 and originally scheduled to take place at Camping World Stadium, the fixture marks City’s first friendly in preparation for the 2024 season and Flamengo’s final game of their weeklong pre-season tour of Florida. Continue reading