The Orlando Pride enter 2026 looking to rebound from a disappointing loss in the semifinal last season.
The Pride finished the regular season in fourth place at 11-8-7 and hope to improve upon that.
While players such as Ally Watt and Emily Sams have moved on, Orlando returns much of the core that won the NWSL Championship back in 2024. Seb Hines is entering his fourth full season as coach, and he has made Orlando a consistent contender in his time with the club.
Anna Moorhouse returns in goal, where she has been excellent for the Pride. Her organizational abilities, along with her commanding presence in the box, allow the defenders in front of her to feel more confident. With Sams gone, the Pride will need to find a replacement on the field. Hailie Mace, signed from Kansas City in the offseason, is the likeliest candidate to do so, but there are plenty of others fighting for a spot in the starting eleven.
In Midfield, Orlando has a core of Angelina, Haley McCutcheon and a healthy Luana. The three can impose their will on teams in the center of the pitch. McCutcheon is a clutch goal-scorer, but these midfielders are also all capable of covering the space in front of the defense. The rest of the league has been getting stronger, but few midfields are as defensively sound as the Pride’s.
But where Orlando is really expected to shine is in the attack. Barbra Banda and Jacquie Ovalle have yet to play together, but their partnership will be a national talking point this season. They are both elite-level forwards, and if they can establish a connection early, they will be nearly impossible to stop.
And, at the core of it all, is a 40-year-old Marta who shows no signs of slowing down. She remains Orlando’s most important player for as long as she decides to continue her career. If this is her last season, expect her to give everything she has to help return Orlando to the heights of playing championship soccer.
Orlando kicks off the season on Sunday against Seattle Reign FC at 4 p.m. at Inter&Co Stadium.
Orlando Pride player Haley McCutcheon, left, celebrates after scoring a goal against the Chicago Stars on March 14, 2025. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)