New England Revolution

Open letter: Orlando City UK, my baby, and my farewell (kind of!)

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

Ten years is a lot doing anything! 😮 And it takes real dedication to stick around so long. Luckily for me, these past ten years have been some of the best of my life, growing and nurturing Orlando City UK.

Orlando City UK has been my baby since November 2015 – a labour of love, obsession, and way too much caffeine. A little fun fact – when I first joined Twitter (X) in 2015, the @orlandocityuk handle was already taken. I reached out to the owner and explained my plans to cover the team, but he politely declined. So I went with @Orlando_CityUK – and from that moment, I was fully committed to covering all things Orlando City SC.

But life has a way of reminding you that you can’t do everything forever. There comes a time when balance matters more than ambition, when priorities shift, and the next chapter calls louder than the one you’ve been living. So here’s the big news first. In 2026, I’m going to become a DAD! 💜 Amazing, right? With Baby Williams arriving in June, our journey has been extremely difficult. But we’re incredibly grateful that our second round of IVF was successful. My wife, Christie, and I want to thank the team at Care Fertility, as well as our family and friends, for their constant support over the past four years. It’s been the perfect way to end 2025, and we’re both excited for what promises to be a huge 2026 – with maternity and paternity leave timed just right for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 😉

Orlando City UK isn’t going anywhere, but content will be far more reduced. That means no more weekly Stats Previews, live blog commentaries, and transfer articles. Instead, I’m choosing to be kinder to myself by taking more off my plate. I’ll still be around – cheering, writing, and sharing. But with a lot less energy, more sleepless nights, and an exciting new focus on our own little Lion cub. 🦁 Continue reading →

Winners revealed in Orlando City UK’s 2025 end-of-season awards

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

This past week, we asked Orlando City SC supporters on X to select their Orlando City SC Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year for 2025 as part of our annual Orlando City UK end-of-season awards.

A public vote designed to recognise the standout Orlando City SC players in our challenging 2025 campaign, we can now proudly reveal the winners as voted by you! Continue reading →

The good, the bad, and the ugly: Orlando City SC’s 2025 season – From hope to heartbreak

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

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⚠️ Warning: this blog comes with a disclaimer. ⚠️ Before you read any further, be warned – there’s a high probability you might upset yourself again as we delve into Orlando City SC’s 3-1 defeat at Chicago Fire in the 2025 MLS Wild Card match. Maybe, like me, you were already resigned to defeat – a feeling so alien in the Oscar Pareja era. How quickly times have changed! But it’s time for a final word on 2025 – a strange season that promised so much but ultimately delivered so little. When you rely on the same tactics, you often get the same results, and many supporters are now ready to call time on Pareja’s six years in purple.

I didn’t watch the game live – which is unlike me for such a pivotal game – but when I caught the eight-minute MLS highlights this morning, all I saw was wave after wave of Chicago Fire attacks. With last night’s win, Fire sealed their FIRST MLS Cup Playoffs appearance since 2017 – EIGHT years ago! While Alex Freeman, Martín Ojeda, and Marco Pašalić can hold their heads high this year, their individual contributions have sadly counted for nothing.

When the Wilf family completed their takeover in 2021, the aim was trophies. We got one in 2022, of course, but since then, MLS Cup has remained elusive. Moving away from signing international superstars like Kaká and Nani, the club has leaned on a low-risk, high-ceiling transfer strategy – a hallmark of Ricardo Moreira’s approach. Yet with the recent news that Orlando are attempting to lure Richarlison to Central Florida, perhaps it’s time to rethink everything.

Bouncing back will be hard though. When you perform below expectations, your best players become targets. Alex Freeman is almost certain to move on this winter and Borussia Mönchengladbach are “interested” in Marco Pašalić who “would like to return to Europe”. You have to imagine that suitors will come circling for our MVP Martín Ojeda too – heaven forbid!

This blog is our full autopsy of 2025 – so buckle up for a bumpy ride as we put in the final word on a season that quickly swung from hope to heartbreak. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Chicago Fire vs Orlando City SC – 22.10.2025

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EMBARRASSED, HUMILIATED, CRESTFALLEN!! All words that describe Orlando City SC’s pathetic 4-2 collapse at Toronto FC on 2025 MLS Decision Day. At the start of the night, a win would have sealed a playoff spot proper – in the top seven of the Eastern Conference. Instead, the Lions limped to another defeat, ending the season in 9th place – a staggering decline from our top four finishes of recent years. We started the season with a 2-4 loss to Philadelphia Union, and we ended it the same way against Toronto. Symmetry, right? Over the year, Orlando have surrendered 13 points after the 80th minute alone. Had we held on in these games, we’d be sitting on 66 points, likely contending for the Supporters’ Shield. Instead, we’re now heading to SeatGeek Stadium (not Soldier Field) to contest the Wild Card play-in game. It’s a far cry from the home playoff ambitions this roster promised.

And what a roster it was supposed to be. Martín Ojeda producing at MVP level, Alex Freeman enjoying a meteoric rise, and Marco Pašalić becoming Facundo Torres’ perfect replacement. Despite scoring more regular season goals (63) than ever before, we have failed to make our firepower count. A spare U22 Initiative slot sat vacant all season, and Ramiro Enrique was sold after the Secondary Transfer Window closed. Mismanagement, wasted talent, and poor execution on and off the pitch have defined Orlando City SC’s disappointing 2025 regular season. The collapse in decision-making and consistency has been breathtaking, leaving fans, staff, and owners with every right to feel frustrated and betrayed.

This isn’t just disappointing – it’s regression. From legitimate MLS Cup contenders to 9th in the East, Orlando City SC have taken a massive step backwards. Wednesday’s trip to Chicago Fire isn’t just another match. It’s the final chance to salvage some pride from a season of squandered opportunities, soft goals, wasted leads, and unfulfilled potential. The squad, the coaching staff, and the club as a whole must take a long, hard look at themselves before 2026, because this year has been nothing short of disastrous. If you ask me, major changes are needed this off-season – both on the touchline and in the squad. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Toronto FC vs Orlando City SC – 18.10.2025

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WIN THIS AND LOCK IN A TOP SEVEN FINISH!! 🤞🏽🙏🏽 Orlando City SC travel to Toronto FC this Saturday, desperate to bounce back after last weekend’s 1-2 collapse to Vancouver Whitecaps. Leading for most of the game, we capitulated badly after the 81st minute. Don’t get me wrong – facing Vancouver without four first-team internationals was always going to be tough. That bloody 2025 Leagues Cup run continues to haunt us, doesn’t it? But it’s no excuse. There’s parking the bus, and then there’s just giving up altogether! I love what Oscar Pareja has done for our club. But his bunker-and-counter approach AT HOME feels outdated, momentum is gone, and the season already feels over. Worst of all, the threat of the Wild Card match looms large.

Ultimately, it’s been a strange season, hasn’t it? We’ve hit high points, including a league double over Inter Miami, beating Crew 1-3 away, and snatching a late 3-2 win over Nashville SC. But injuries to Joran Gerbet and Robin Jansson, a leaky defence, and stale tactics have left us limping to the finish. We look far from MLS Cup contenders despite compiling arguably our strongest roster ever.

It’s now or never for this group too – especially Pedro Gallese, Robin Jansson, and Kyle Smith. Then there’s César Araújo, Luis Muriel, the in-demand Alex Freeman, and maybe even Oscar Pareja too. Let’s just hope we haven’t seen the last of Jansson at Inter&Co after his nasty collision with Vancouver’s Daniel Ríos. Returning internationals will need to inspire at BMO Field, and the Lions must knuckle down to take all three points. With a top seven finish on the line – and Wild Card danger looming – this clash against Toronto FC is huge. Lose, and we may limp into the play-in game, reinforcing the idea that Papi can only deliver playoff soccer but never an MLS Cup. After exiting the U.S. Open Cup early, missing out on a 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup spot, and now facing potential Wild Card jeopardy, 2025 has become a frustrating season for Orlando supporters. Honestly, even the most optimistic Lion would be deflated about our MLS Cup chances. It could be a winter of discontent in Central Florida, so the players must dig deep and create some momentum to salvage the campaign. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Vancouver Whitecaps – 11.10.2025

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WIN THIS AND WE SEAL A TOP SEVEN FINISH!! 🤞🏽🙏🏽 For the first time in six MLS seasons, Orlando City SC welcome Vancouver Whitecaps to Inter&Co Stadium this Saturday. And it’s our final home fixture of the 2025 regular season. The sides haven’t met since April 2019, adding extra intrigue to a clash that was originally scheduled for August 30 before being rearranged due to our deep 2025 Leagues Cup run.

It’s a big night in more ways than one. Already locked into the MLS Cup Playoffs for a sixth consecutive year – the longest active streak in the league – the Lions know this is their last game in hand. And it simply has to count in the race for a top four finish. The timing, though, is awkward, with the FIFA international break stripping both sides of key players. Fortunately for us, Pedro Gallese is available after not being called up by Peru.

For Vancouver, this is a gruelling 3,214 mile trip which is around five hours and forty minutes by direct flight. Whitecaps land in Central Florida jubilant, having recently lifted the 2025 Canadian Championship trophy on October 1. With playoff seeding on the line, it’s high stakes as the Lions look to sign off at Inter&Co in style. Continue reading →

Orlando City SC to release MLS Archive Collection third kit in 2026

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A die-hard Orlando City SC supporter and devoted jersey collector, I’ve been envious seeing 15 other clubs unveil stunning MLS Archive Collection third kits over the past two seasons. That’s why today’s news from FootyHeadlines.com is especially exciting! Indeed, Orlando are among eight teams set to receive an Adidas MLS Archive Collection third kit in 2026.

Aside from special edition Parley, PRIMEBLUE, and One Planet shirts worn on one-off, cause-related occasions, 2026 will be the first time City have ever had an official third kit in Major League Soccer. And surely, it has to be red?

Today’s unofficial announcement builds on Adidas’ revival of their “Freekick” magazine earlier this summer, which coincided with the 2025 MLS Archive Collection launch. That launch saw 10 additional clubs join the program after the inaugural 2024 rollout, when five teams unveiled third kits. The “Freekick” issue also revealed that eight more MLS sides would follow in 2026 – and now we know Orlando are one of them. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Columbus Crew vs Orlando City SC – 25.07.2025

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

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After four games without a win, Orlando City SC finally bounced back with a gritty 1-2 road victory at New England Revolution. A much-needed lift for the squad, our social media admin joined in the fun, celebrating not just 3 points at the scene of the Coldplay incident, but an awkwardly-timed fireworks show too! Most importantly, the Lions responded when they needed to, and just in time.

Just before the 2025 Leagues Cup group stage kicks off, we now face our first and only Friday fixture of the regular season – a road trip to high-flying Columbus Crew. With the table tightening and just 9 regular season games remaining after this, there’s no better time to build momentum. So let’s make one last push before the break! With Martín Ojeda in red-hot form, we should visit Ohio with renewed hunger, confidence, and belief. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: New England Revolution vs Orlando City SC – 19.07.2025

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

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What on Earth has happened to our game management? 🤦🏽‍♂️ For the second straight match, Orlando City SC took a 1-0 lead… and threw it away. Last night’s 1-2 home loss to New York City FC was gutting. Not just because of the result, but because it followed a now-familiar script – take control, waste chances, and collapse late. Further evidence that we’re feeling the pressure, that’s now four games without a win and just two points from twelve. It’s hard to believe this is the same team that dismantled Inter Miami 0-3 back in May.

With our season slipping away, we need to respond and fast. Saturday sees the Lions travel to Gillette Stadium to face New England Revolution – a team sitting 11th but desperate to claw their way back into the playoff picture. We’ve only ever won ONCE in Foxborough (1-2-6), but that lone victory (1-3) came just a year ago. With the standings tightening, form slipping, and confidence clearly shaken, we need a repeat of that result… badly. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Charlotte FC – 14.05.2025

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

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Saturday’s dramatic 3-3 draw with New England Revolution had it all. Goals, rain, controversy, and a sparkling Martín Ojeda hat-trick! But while the attacking floodgates finally opened, defensive lapses cost the Lions two precious points. Twice ahead and in full control, City were ultimately undone by a late Carles Gil penalty. This halted what had looked like a statement win. Still, Tincho’s trio — the first Orlando City SC hat-trick in any competition since 2015 — reminded everyone what he’s capable of when firing on all cylinders.

Now, with Charlotte FC next up, the focus shifts to turning performances into more points. Yes, we’re nine unbeaten in MLS — but only one win in our last six tells its own story. As Oscar Pareja put it post-Revs, this is the attacking version of Orlando “we want to see” going forward. Let’s just hope it’s the version that finishes more of its chances too. Continue reading →