Welcome to your match thread and preview as the Orlando Pride begin their 2026 NWSL campaign against the Seattle Reign. The two teams bookend the season, with the second meeting scheduled for Nov. 1 in Seattle. For the Reign, it is their third consecutive league game against Orlando after finishing the regular season in Orlando in 2025 and then getting knocked out of the playoffs at Inter&Co Stadium by the Pride the following week.

Here’s everything you need to know about today’s game.

History

The Pride and Reign have met 21 times since Orlando joined the NWSL in 2016. The Pride hold a 6-7-8 record in those meetings, with an all-time record of 4-2-5 in Orlando. All but one of the contests have been in the regular season with the only non-regular-season game in the 2025 playoffs.

The most recent meeting took place on Nov. 7, 2025, when the Pride hosted the Reign in the NWSL quarterfinals. Haley McCutcheon gave the hosts the lead early, a lead the Pride held until Marta made a magnificent run in stoppage time, drawing a foul in the Seattle box. Despite being the primary penalty taker, Marta handed the ball to her Brazilian teammate Luana. The midfielder converted her first Pride goal in an emotional moment after her return from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma treatment, sending the Pride to the semifinals for the second consecutive season with a 2-0 win.

It was back-to-back meetings for the teams as they ended the season against each other on Nov. 2. They were playing to host a quarterfinal game and the Pride were the better team in the first 45 minutes. Substitute Carson Pickett gave the Pride the lead just eight minutes after coming on, but Jordyn Bugg equalized three minutes later. The 1-1 draw was enough for the Pride to finish fourth, pushing Seattle down to fifth and setting up a rematch five days later.

The first meeting last year took place April 12 in Seattle. Barbra Banda was the hero of that game, netting the game’s only goal in a 1-0 Orlando win just before halftime. It extended the team’s season-opening winning streak to four games.

The first meeting of 2024 occurred on May 19 at Lumen Field in Seattle. Emily Sams opened the scoring early and Banda doubled the advantage minutes later. However, the Reign scored on either side of halftime through Angharad James-Turner and Bethany Balcer before Banda netted the deciding goal, lifting her team to a 3-2 win.

On Nov. 2, 2024 in Orlando, Ally Watt gave the Pride the lead early, but Jordyn Huitema equalized a minute later. Kerry Abello gave the Pride the lead before halftime, and Marta made it 3-1 in the second half. Maddie Mercado got one back late, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride came away with a 3-2 win. The win capped off a historic regular season.

The first game between the teams in 2023 occurred on July 7 at Exploria Stadium and featured one of the best performances of the year for the Pride. Julie Doyle beat her defenders and found Messiah Bright, who scored the game’s lone goal early in the match as the Pride won 1-0 for their second all-time win over the Reign. On Sept. 3 in Seattle, the Pride got off to a terrible start when goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was sent off in the third minute. Carly Nelson came in and did well in relief, but Huitema scored early in the second half as the Reign won 1-0. 

The teams played for the first time in 2022 on Aug. 26 in Orlando. Meggie Dougherty Howard gave the hosts the lead, and the Pride tried to hold onto that one-goal advantage, but Megan Rapinoe found Balcer for an equalizing header. The visitors pushed for a win and Rapinoe got a goal for herself two minutes into second-half injury time, lifting the Reign to a 2-1 win, snapping Orlando’s seven-match unbeaten run.

The return game took place Oct. 1, 2022 at Lumen Field in Seattle. The Pride had already been eliminated from playoff contention and it looked like it, as the team then known as OL Reign dominated the game. Rapinoe opened the scoring early, Huitema doubled the hosts’ lead soon after, and Balcer made it 3-0 just past the half-hour mark. The Pride held the Reign scoreless in the second half but fell 3-0.

The teams played twice during the 2021 season and the first game was July 24 in Orlando. The Reign scored a goal in each half, with Jess Fishlock scoring early and Tziarra King doubling the lead just after the break in a 2-0 win. On Sept. 26 in Tacoma, WA, Balcer opened the scoring early and Eugenie Le Sommer scored a brace, giving the Reign a 3-0 lead at halftime, ultimately beating the Pride by that score.

COVID canceled the teams’ meetings in 2020, but they played three times in 2019. On April 21 in Tacoma, Alanna Kennedy gave the Pride an early lead. But Balcer equalized and the teams drew 1-1. They met again on Sept. 7 in the same location. This time, the Reign took the early lead as Darian Jenkins scored twice inside the first 12 minutes. Beverly Yanez made it 3-0 soon after, effectively putting the game away early. Camila converted a late penalty, but the Reign won 3-1. The final meeting that year came on Oct. 12 in Orlando. The Pride scored first through Rachel Hill, but Jenkins and Jodie Taylor gave the visitors a 2-1 lead going into halftime. Marta equalized late and the teams drew 2-2.

The first meeting in 2018 came on April 28 in Orlando. Allie Long gave the Reign a first-half lead, but Marta equalized, resulting in a 1-1 draw. On June 3, the teams met in Seattle but neither team could find the back of the net as the game ended in a scoreless draw. The final meeting that year took place July 21 in Orlando. Toni Pressley gave the Pride a first-half lead but Taylor equalized late and the teams drew for the third time that year.

The 2017 season saw the Pride and Reign play to a pair of 1-1 draws — first in Seattle on May 21 and later in Orlando on Sept. 7. The teams split their two games in 2016, with the Pride winning 2-0 in Orlando May 8 and Seattle winning 5-2 at home on July 23.

Overview

The Pride had an eventful off-season to say the least. Haley Carter left the club and joined the Washington Spirit and was replaced by former Kansas City Current General Manager Caitlin Carducci. Sams also left the club after requesting a move to Angel City FC. Additionally, the Pride are without club vice captain Kylie Nadaner, who’s out on maternity leave.

On the positive side, the club rebuilt its defense after losing Sams and Nadaner. Rafaelle will likely start at center back alongside new signing Hannah Anderson. The Pride also acquired free agent Hailie Mace, who can play across the back line but will probably take over as the starting right back. While Anderson might not be an upgrade from Sams, it’s a good signing considering the situation the Pride were in with the U.S. international requesting a trade.

Even more important, starting striker Banda is back from a season-ending injury suffered on Aug. 16 in Kansas City. She’ll join Mexican international Jacquie Ovalle, who arrived after Banda’s injury. The two should make a formidable combination this coming year, solving the goal-scoring problem that plagued Orlando the majority of last season.

The Reign are happy with their roster from the 2025 season, making few changes and returning everyone. The most notable changes for today’s visitors are gone via retirement. Lauren Barnes, Hanna Glas, and Veronica Latsko all called it a career, departing the club in the process. The biggest departure for the Reign that wasn’t a retirement was Huitema, who was traded to the Chicago Stars. She’s replaced by Brittany Ratcliffe, who was signed as a free agent.

Given the lack of turnover this season, we know what to expect from Seattle. However, it’s much more difficult for the Pride. Questions include how will the new center back pairing gel, can Rafaelle stay healthy, and how will Banda return from a major injury.

“It’s been a luxury having so long of a preseason. It’s allowed us to integrate a lot of the new players on how we want to play, our principles, our style of play, our intensity of everything that we do here,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said ahead of the match. “And so, with that, it’s all preparation for this home opener. We have our fans here supporting us. It’s going to be a great opportunity for us to put everything in place for us to go out there and perform. So, we’re really excited, we’re ready to get going, and hopefully we have a really good season.”

The Pride will take the field without Abello (hip), Zara Chavoshi (lower leg), Marta (excused absence), Cosette Morche (ankle), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Nicole Payne (knee), and Viviana Villacorta (knee). Additionally, Angelina (thigh) is listed as questionable.

The Reign will be without Lynn Biyendolo (maternity leave), Bugg (leg), Shae Holmes (lower leg), Sally Menti (knee), and Cassie Miller (leg).

Projected Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Cori Dyke, Rafaelle, Hannah Anderson, Hailie Mace.

Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Luana.

Midfielders: Jacquie Ovalle, Ally Lemos, Summer Yates.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Seattle Reign FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Claudia Dickey.

Defenders: Ryanne Brown, Phoebe McClernon, Madison Curry, Sofia Huerta. 

Midfielders: Sam Meza, Jess Fishlock, Angharad James-Turner.

Forwards: Nerilia Mondesir, Mia Fishel, Maddie Dahlen.

Referees

REF: Alexandra Billeter.
AR1: Zach McWhorter.
AR2: Matthew Rodman.
4TH: Benjamin Meyer.
VAR: Jaclyn Metz.
AVAR: Melissa Beck.

How to Watch

Match Time: 4 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV: None.

Streaming: Victory+.

Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @themaneland.bsky.social on Bluesky and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!