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

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

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

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: Orlando City SC vs Sporting Kansas City – 16.08.2025

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FLORIDA IS PURPLE!!! 😈😤 But you knew that already! Orlando City SC enter Saturday’s clash with Sporting Kansas City fresh off a statement 4-1 demolition of Inter Miami. We may be up to fourth, but the East is as tight as a packed Wall on derby day – so every point from here is massive!

The goals are flowing, Martín Ojeda is in MVP form, and Luis Muriel has his mojo back – so things bode well. Opponents Sporting Kansas City are winless in four, but we’ve stumbled against beatable sides before. If we maintain our current form though, there’s every reason to believe we can secure a top four home playoff spot. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Inter Miami – 10.08.2025

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WAS I DREAMING? 🤩 A first-half hat-trick by Luis Muriel? 😮 Incredible! Orlando City SC head into Sunday’s Sunshine Clásico against Inter Miami riding high, having qualified for the 2025 Leagues Cup knockout stage with a 5-1 win over Necaxa. By finishing fourth in the MLS table, we’ve now set up a quarter-final with Toluca at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Now back in MLS action, we’re out to protect our unbeaten home record against Miami (3-4-0). A win here would not only give us huge momentum, but secure a famous season sweep. Our legs may be tired from a packed schedule. But hopefully, adrenaline can carry us past the South Florida team we all love to beat! Lionel Messi’s absence gives us a psychological boost – but let’s not pretend this will be easy. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Necaxa – 06.08.2025

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Orlando City SC head into their third phase one match of the 2025 Leagues Cup full of confidence. A hard-fought game two win over Atlas (3-1) gave us a much-needed boost and keeps our qualification hopes alive! 💪🏽 But our fate isn’t fully in our hands and we still need favourable results elsewhere.

After eliminating Atlas, we now face Necaxa – a side equally hungry for a win in this tightly contested phase one. With both sides still fighting for a knockout spot, every point and goal carries extra weight. Tensions will be high, but Orlando can count on key players like Robin Jansson and Martín Ojeda, who remain available despite some late fracas against Atlas. This is a must-win, make-or-break match, so get ready for an intense battle! Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs FC Cincinnati – 28.06.2025

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Orlando City SC are starting to click into gear again! A blistering first-half at St. Louis CITY SC set the tone for a 2-4 road win, with Ramiro Enrique and Marco Pašalić each striking twice in a big performance. That’s now back-to-back away victories for the Lions – and with confidence building fast, the focus shifts to another huge test.

FC Cincinnati roll into Inter&Co Stadium sitting just three points above us in the Eastern Conference. This showdown has all the ingredients for a mid-season classic – but with barely any recovery time since Wednesday’s win, and Central Florida’s summer heat in full swing, we’ll need grit and resilience. The East is tightening up, and this is a golden opportunity to climb the standings and crash the top three. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Atlanta United vs Orlando City SC – 28.05.2025

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Portland Timbers? Successfully chopped down! 🌲🪓🪵 Grinding out an important 1-0 win over Phil Neville’s side on Saturday, Duncan McGuire’s first goal of 2025 proved the difference. Now, the Lions fly north above Interstate 75 to face Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Despite just two wins in nine visits, Orlando City SC will head to Georgia full of belief, eager to take down our bitter rivals after matching our longest-ever MLS unbeaten streak (12 games).

Atlanta United’s 4-2 win over FC Cincinnati gives them hope. But if we bring our A-game in the A, we’re the better side. The biggest compliment Orlando can be paid right now? We’ve shown we can win in different ways! Our last two league matches prove it – a dominant 0-3 derby win in Fort Lauderdale, followed by a gritty home victory over a Portland side that had lost just once in 11 MLS games. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Portland Timbers – 24.05.2025

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Orlando City SC host Portland Timbers this Saturday in our second cross-conference MLS fixture of 2025. While we’ve faced Phil Neville before – going 4-2-1 against his Inter Miami side – this is our first meeting with him as Timbers boss.

Riding high off our stunning 0-3 win at Inter Miami, our momentum just took a big hit! Eliminated from the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup last night, losing 2-3 to Nashville SC in the Round of 16, fatigue and tired legs told. With Orlando squeezing NINE fixtures into May, this gruelling month is a real test of our fitness, mentality, and squad depth. Now, we must regroup and dig deep against talented opposition. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Charlotte FC – 14.05.2025

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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

Who is Orlando City SC transfer target Marco Pašalić?

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As the MLS off-season progresses, Orlando City SC are currently exploring various options to strengthen our roster. Earlier today, North American transfer expert Tom Bogert tweeted that City are “in advanced talks to sign Croatia international winger Marco Pašalić from HNK Rijeka.” Previously knocked back in our pursuit of Club América’s Alejandro Zendejas, Pašalić has now emerged as a viable alternative.

Bogert noted that while “no deal is agreed or done” – with the Lions still monitoring “other targets” – Pašalić “would be a DP winger if it gets done.” Marco Pašalić, 24, has earned five senior international caps with Croatia and was part of Zlatko Dalić’s final 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2024. Continue reading