Oscar Pareja’s time as head coach of Orlando City has come to an end. The team announced on Wednesday that they mutually parted ways with the longtime Lions coach following a winless start to the team’s first three games of the 2026 MLS regular season.”I want to thank Oscar for the dedication, leadership and professionalism he brought to our club,” said team general manager and sporting director, Ricardo Moreira, in a statement. “He delivered one of the most significant moments in Orlando City’s history with the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and helped establish the competitive foundation that has propelled us forward, highlighted by our active club-record run of six straight playoffs appearances, which is currently the longest streak in MLS. At the same time, we believe this is the right moment to take the club in a new direction as we look to the next phase of our growth and ambitions.” Assistant coach Martin Perelman will take over as interim head coach. Orlando City B head coach Manuel Goldberg will be appointed interim assistant coach. Goalkeeper coach Cesar Baena and interim strength and conditioning coach Sandro Graham will continue in their roles. Assistant coach Diego Torres will leave the team with Pareja, the club announced. “Oscar’s impact on our club and community will always be remembered,” said Mark Wilf, Orlando City SC owner & chairman. “He helped elevate Orlando City on and off the field, guided us through milestones that reshaped our trajectory, and represented our crest with integrity. We are grateful for all he has given to the organization.” Pareja joined Orlando ahead of the 2020 MLS season. During his time as coach, the Colombian led the Lions to their first MLS playoff appearance and would do so for six consecutive seasons. Pareja led the Lions to the championship game of the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament, a 2022 U.S. Open Cup title, runners-up in the 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield race, and an Eastern Conference final appearance in 2024. “I want to express my sincere gratitude to the club’s players, staff and supporters for the trust they’ve given me over these last several years,” said Pareja. “Together, we shared moments that will stay with me forever. While it is the right time for both me and the Club to move in new directions, I leave proud of the work we did and with deep appreciation for the people who made it possible. Orlando will always have a special place in my heart, and I wish the team nothing but success in the future.” The outlook Things for Orlando City seemed to begin falling apart last season after their Aug. 27 Leagues Cup semifinal loss to rival Inter Miami. The Lions would go on to finish the 2025 season with only one win in their final 10 games in all competitions, including Leagues Cup and MLS playoff wild card game. The offseason saw a roster overhaul, which saw veteran players in Pedro Gallese, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Cesar Araujo move on from the team. In return, sporting director Ricardo Moreira reloaded the team with a mix of several young players and some MLS veterans. Orlando opened the 2026 regular season with a 2-1 loss at home to Red Bull New York. The game saw a disappointing first half from the Lions. The inconsistencies continued into the following game on March 1 against rivals Miami. That game saw Orlando perform exceptionally well during the first 45 minutes, leading 2-0 at halftime, but a Lionel Messi brace sparked and secured a 4-2 comeback win for the South Florida side. Over the weekend and after going down to 10 players after goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau was red-carded, Orlando was thrashed 5-0 to New York City FC. It’s unclear what comes next. This team, according to Moreira, is expected not only to return to the playoffs for a seventh consecutive year but to win silverware this year. Whether that will not fall on Perelman or an outside hire to reach those objectives are also unclear. There’s also the pursuit to sign Atletico Madrid and French attacker Antoine Griezmann this summer. Moreira said prior to the season starting that the team will look to sign a Designated Player sometime before the closure of the MLS Primary transfer window or after the World Cup. Orlando City takes on CF Montreal on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Oscar Pareja’s time as head coach of Orlando City has come to an end.

The team announced on Wednesday that they mutually parted ways with the longtime Lions coach following a winless start to the team’s first three games of the 2026 MLS regular season.

“I want to thank Oscar for the dedication, leadership and professionalism he brought to our club,” said team general manager and sporting director, Ricardo Moreira, in a statement. “He delivered one of the most significant moments in Orlando City’s history with the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and helped establish the competitive foundation that has propelled us forward, highlighted by our active club-record run of six straight playoffs appearances, which is currently the longest streak in MLS. At the same time, we believe this is the right moment to take the club in a new direction as we look to the next phase of our growth and ambitions.”

Assistant coach Martin Perelman will take over as interim head coach. Orlando City B head coach Manuel Goldberg will be appointed interim assistant coach.

Goalkeeper coach Cesar Baena and interim strength and conditioning coach Sandro Graham will continue in their roles.

Assistant coach Diego Torres will leave the team with Pareja, the club announced.

“Oscar’s impact on our club and community will always be remembered,” said Mark Wilf, Orlando City SC owner & chairman. “He helped elevate Orlando City on and off the field, guided us through milestones that reshaped our trajectory, and represented our crest with integrity. We are grateful for all he has given to the organization.”

Pareja joined Orlando ahead of the 2020 MLS season.

During his time as coach, the Colombian led the Lions to their first MLS playoff appearance and would do so for six consecutive seasons.

Pareja led the Lions to the championship game of the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament, a 2022 U.S. Open Cup title, runners-up in the 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield race, and an Eastern Conference final appearance in 2024.

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to the club’s players, staff and supporters for the trust they’ve given me over these last several years,” said Pareja. “Together, we shared moments that will stay with me forever. While it is the right time for both me and the Club to move in new directions, I leave proud of the work we did and with deep appreciation for the people who made it possible. Orlando will always have a special place in my heart, and I wish the team nothing but success in the future.”

The outlook

Things for Orlando City seemed to begin falling apart last season after their Aug. 27 Leagues Cup semifinal loss to rival Inter Miami.

The Lions would go on to finish the 2025 season with only one win in their final 10 games in all competitions, including Leagues Cup and MLS playoff wild card game.

The offseason saw a roster overhaul, which saw veteran players in Pedro Gallese, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Cesar Araujo move on from the team. In return, sporting director Ricardo Moreira reloaded the team with a mix of several young players and some MLS veterans.

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Oscar Pareja is out at #OrlandoCity comes after the team opened the season with 3 straight losses.

These comments from earlier in the preseason seem to nail what was to come eventually 👇🏽 https://t.co/kQUSH8Y6La

— Mike Gramajo (@byMikeGramajo) March 11, 2026

Orlando opened the 2026 regular season with a 2-1 loss at home to Red Bull New York. The game saw a disappointing first half from the Lions. The inconsistencies continued into the following game on March 1 against rivals Miami.

That game saw Orlando perform exceptionally well during the first 45 minutes, leading 2-0 at halftime, but a Lionel Messi brace sparked and secured a 4-2 comeback win for the South Florida side.

Over the weekend and after going down to 10 players after goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau was red-carded, Orlando was thrashed 5-0 to New York City FC.

It’s unclear what comes next.

This team, according to Moreira, is expected not only to return to the playoffs for a seventh consecutive year but to win silverware this year.

Whether that will not fall on Perelman or an outside hire to reach those objectives are also unclear.

There’s also the pursuit to sign Atletico Madrid and French attacker Antoine Griezmann this summer. Moreira said prior to the season starting that the team will look to sign a Designated Player sometime before the closure of the MLS Primary transfer window or after the World Cup.

Orlando City takes on CF Montreal on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium.