Orlando City fans are currently in that weird, twitchy limbo of the MLS offseason. If you are looking for an Orlando City soccer score right this second, you won't find one from a competitive match. The Lions haven’t played a game that "counts" since their late-October exit in the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, where they fell 3-1 to the Chicago Fire in a Wild Card heartbreaker.
Honestly, the last season was a rollercoaster. One week they were dismantling Inter Miami 4-1 (August 10, 2025), and the next they were getting thumped 5-1 by Nashville. It’s enough to give any supporter whiplash. But with the 2026 preseason officially underway at the Orlando Health Training Ground, the focus has shifted from the final scores of last year to the scoreboard of the future.
Breaking Down the Recent Orlando City Soccer Score Trends
Looking back at the tail end of 2025 gives us a pretty clear picture of why this team is undergoing a massive facelift. They finished the regular season 14-11-9. That’s 53 points, which landed them 9th in the Eastern Conference.
The most glaring issue? Consistency.
You’d see a 3-2 win over Nashville on September 20, followed by a frustrating 1-1 draw in Cincinnati. Then, a 1-2 loss to Vancouver at home on October 11—a game where Thomas Müller (yes, that Thomas Müller) broke Orlando hearts with a 97th-minute winner. By the time they reached the playoffs, the gas tank looked empty.
The scoring load was almost entirely on the shoulders of Martín Ojeda. He was a monster, racking up 20 goals and 19 assists across all competitions. When Ojeda wasn't on, the Orlando City soccer score usually reflected a struggle to find the back of the net.
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What happened to the 2025 defense?
- Pedro Gallese remained a wall, but the backline in front of him got exposed on the counter-attack too often.
- The team conceded 51 goals in 34 league games.
- Away form was decent (6 wins), but dropping points in five home draws at Inter&Co Stadium really stung.
The 2026 Roster Shakeup: No More Luis Muriel
If you’re checking the lineup for the next match, there’s a massive name missing. On January 15, 2026, the club confirmed that Designated Player Luis Muriel has been transferred to Junior FC in Colombia.
He’s gone home.
Muriel’s time in Orlando was... complicated. 17 goals in 84 appearances isn't terrible, but for a DP making that kind of money, the fans expected more. His departure opens up a huge spot in the attack and a lot of "General Allocation Money" (GAM) to play with.
To fill the gaps, the front office hasn't been sitting on their hands. They just signed Harvey Sarajian, the No. 5 overall pick from the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. He’s a Wake Forest kid with a ton of pace. They also secured midfielder Braian Ojeda from Real Salt Lake for about $1.3 million in GAM.
The biggest win of the winter, though, was re-signing Martín Ojeda through 2028. Keeping "Tincho" in purple ensures that the core of the offense stays lethal.
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When is the Next Orlando City Match?
You don't have to wait much longer to see a live score again. The 2026 preseason schedule is set, and it’s mostly about getting the legs moving before the real deal in February.
Upcoming Preseason & Regular Season Dates:
- January 24, 2026: Orlando City vs. Lexington SC (Preseason). This is the first chance to see the new signings in action.
- February 21, 2026: The Season Opener. Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls at Inter&Co Stadium. Kickoff is at 7:30 PM.
- March 1, 2026: The Big One. Orlando City vs. Inter Miami CF. Expect ticket prices to be astronomical for this one.
The 2026 schedule is a grind. After the opener against the Red Bulls, the Lions head to New York City FC on March 7 before returning home for Montreal. If they want to avoid the Wild Card drama of last year, they need to bank points early in the spring.
Key Stats to Watch in 2026
Basically, keep an eye on these three metrics if you want to know if Orlando is actually "back":
- Clean Sheets: Gallese needs more help from David Brekalo and Rodrigo Schlegel.
- Conversion Rate: Without Muriel, players like Duncan McGuire have to be more clinical.
- Home Dominance: Last year's 8-4-5 home record was too "meh" for a team with title aspirations.
The Reality of Following MLS Scores in 2026
Following an Orlando City soccer score has changed a bit. Everything is on Apple TV via the MLS Season Pass, which is great for consistency but sometimes feels a bit "siloed" if you're just a casual fan.
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The league is also dealing with the "Müller Effect" and the continued presence of Messi in Miami. The Eastern Conference is a meat grinder. Every draw feels like a loss, and every loss feels like a crisis.
The nuance here is that Oscar Pareja is entering another "competitive cycle," as the GM Ricardo Moreira likes to call it. It's a fancy way of saying they are rebuilding the engine while the car is still driving. They are leaning younger, bringing in guys like Tiago Souza and Luis Otávio from Brazil. It’s a gamble.
Actionable Steps for Orlando City Fans
If you want to stay ahead of the curve this season, don't just wait for the Google notification to pop up on your phone.
- Download the LionNation App: It’s actually the fastest way to get the starting XI before the game kicks off.
- Sync your calendar: Go to the official Orlando City SC website and use the "Sync to Calendar" feature for the 2026 schedule so you don't miss the 4:30 PM starts.
- Watch the Preseason Stream: The Lexington SC match on January 24 might be a "closed-door" style vibe, but usually, the club provides some form of live update or local stream for season ticket holders.
- Check the GAM Tracker: Keep an eye on how they spend the money from the Muriel and Dagur Dan Thórhallsson trades. They still have room for another big signing before the primary transfer window closes in May.
The road to the 2026 MLS Cup starts now. Whether the scoreboard reads in favor of the Lions depends entirely on how quickly these new pieces click into Pareja's system.