ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando could make soccer history in a few weeks; the city could be the first to have both a professional men’s and women’s soccer team champion in the same season.
The Orlando Pride completed a record-setting season Saturday, winning the 2024 NWSL Championship in a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit. The team also won the NWSL Shield for the best regular season record, a staggering 18-2-6.
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Now, Orlando City is on an MLS playoff run of their own. The team advanced to its first Eastern Conference final following a 1-0 win over Atlanta United Sunday night. A win Saturday night against the NY Red Bulls would see Orlando City advance to the first MLS Cup in club history on Dec. 7 against the winner of Seattle Sounders-LA Galaxy.
This is the first professional championship to come to Orlando. The Orlando Magic have made the NBA Finals in 1995 and 2009.
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Orlando City won the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a U.S. soccer national championship featuring soccer teams of all levels, from amateur to professional. But a NWSL Championship is the biggest to come through the City Beautiful.
Portland has come the closest to having two soccer champions at the same time, separated by a year. In 2021, the Portland Timbers won the MLS Cup. And in 2022, the Portland Thorns won the NWSL Championship.
Orlando has seen big soccer names play on a weekly basis. For City, the likes of Kaká and Nani have graced the field. Kaká is a former Brazilian national player, playing in three World Cups, winning the 2007 FIFA Player of the Year, and playing for European powerhouses Real Madrid and AC Milan. Nani played for the Portuguese national team and played in one World Cup along with playing for English powerhouse Manchester United.
For the Pride, Marta is considered the best women’s soccer player to ever play. She has been with the Pride for eight years and has played in five World Cups, including the all-time scoring record in World Cups, male or female. Former U.S. women’s national team players Ashlyn Harris and Alex Morgan also played for the Pride. Both players won the World Cup in 2015 and 2019.
Since Orlando City joined the MLS in 2015, soccer has grown in the city of Orlando. Camping World Stadium and Inter&Co. Stadium have hosted Copa America games in 2016 and 2024. This tournament features men’s national teams from South America, Central America and North America.
Inter&Co. Stadium opened in 2017 as a soccer-specific stadium and home of Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. Both the men’s and women’s U.S. national teams have played in this stadium, including a World Cup qualifying match for the men’s team in 2022.
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