How the Extended Delay Will Affect Orlando City SC

Lucky number 13 — 13 days since we last saw Orlando City play soccer in the 2-1 loss to Colorado. The off-season always feels long, but somehow these last two weeks have felt much longer, haven’t they? Last week, MLS announced it was suspending matches for 30 days. Just yesterday, the league made the official announcement that the suspension will be even longer, with a target return date of May 10.

MLS hasn’t canceled the season and season ticket representatives keep sending emails reassuring us that Orlando will play all matches. I can’t even begin to imagine what that schedule will look like. MLS said in a release that the league is exploring pushing the season back and playing for the cup in December.

Here’s a depressing list of all the Orlando soccer we have missed or can look forward to missing through the 10th of May.

Orlando City

• Saturday March 14 vs Chicago Fire 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, March 22 at LA Galaxy 6 p.m.
• Saturday, March 28 at New York Red Bulls 1 p.m.
• Saturday, April 4 vs Montreal Impact 3 p.m.
• Saturday, April 11 at Columbus Crew SC 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, April 18 vs FC Cincinnati 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, April 26 vs Atlanta United FC 1 p.m.
• Saturday, May 2 at Montreal Impact 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 6 vs Houston Dynamo 7 p.m.
• Saturday, May 9 vs Minnesota United FC 7:30 p.m.

In case you don’t want to count, that’s 10 matches, Mane Landers and six home games at that! These postponed matches include the ever-packed and highly anticipated Atlanta United FC match at home in Exploria Stadium. If the league resumes play by the targeted date, Orlando City will look to take on D.C. United at Audi Field.

What are the chances that they’ll push some of those 1 p.m. matches back later in the evening as they work on the new schedule? Honestly though, at this point I’d sit on the East Side in midday sun just to watch some OCSC soccer.

Orlando Pride

The NWSL has not yet released a statement (at the time of this writing) stating that the league will push back the start of the 2020 season. It stands to reason that with the USL and MLS taking the CDC’s advice and pausing play through May 10, the NWSL is likely to soon follow. Assuming the NWSL does push the season back further, the Pride will miss four matches, including the home/season opener and a second home match against North Carolina Courage.

• Sunday, April 19 vs Sky Blue FC 5 p.m.
• Friday, April 24 at Utah Royals FC 10 p.m.
• Saturday, May 2 vs North Carolina Courage 7:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 6 at Portland Thorns 10:30 p.m.

Orlando City B

The young Lions haven’t had the chance to play yet either and will miss the first six matches, including three home matches in the newly renovated Osceola County Stadium. USL League One announced its plan to delay the start of the season earlier this week. 

• Saturday, March 28: New England Revolution II, Gillette Stadium
• Saturday, April 4: North Texas SC, Toyota Stadium
• Saturday, April 11: Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, Osceola County Stadium
• Friday, April 17: FC Tucson, Osceola County Stadium
• Saturday, April 25: Union Omaha, Werner Park
• Friday, May 1: Greenville Triumph SC, Osceola County Stadium

Am I completely bummed to be missing all this soccer? Absolutely, especially since I’ve spent months eager to see these new players on the pitch as a team, but I get it. Everyone’s safety at this point is obviously the most important thing. Not just players and staff, but literally everyone. With a virus that grows exponentially and puts so many immunocompromised individuals and elderly at risk, let’s just all stay home if we can.