Orlando City B Announces Schedule for 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Season

The 2024 MLS NEXT Pro schedule was released this afternoon for Orlando City B. This season will see an increase from 27 to 29 teams in the league with the additions of Carolina Core FC and Chattanooga FC — the first independent clubs in the league since 2022. The schedule remains at 28 games, with each team playing 14 at home and 14 away. Most OCB home games will take place at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, but the location of the home opener against Inter Miami II has yet to be announced.

OCB will start the 2024 season with a two-game road trip, beginning on March 16 against Atlanta United 2 and concluding on March 22 against Huntsville City FC. The home opener against Inter Miami II will take place on April 2 with a location to be determined in the near future. The season will end on the road as well, as the Young Lions will face FC Cincinnati 2 at TQL Stadium, home of the first team, on Oct. 6. The Eastern Conference games on Decision Day will all begin at 1 p.m.

MLS NEXT Pro has decided to change its division format to include the new teams. OCB will be a part of the new Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference, including Atlanta United 2, Huntsville City FC, Inter Miami II, Crown Legacy FC, Carolina Core FC, and Chattanooga FC. Chicago Fire II, Columbus Crew 2, and FC Cincinnati 2, former members of the Central Division with OCB, will move to the Northeast Division.

For the third consecutive season, MLS NEXT Pro teams will only play opponents from their own conference, limiting travel. The Young Lions will play each team in the Southeast Division three times and the teams from the Northeast Division once. The exceptions are New York Red Bulls II and New York City FC II, who they’ll face twice this year.

The busiest month for OCB this season will be in April when it plays five games. The Young Lions will play four games in May, June, July, August, and September, twice in March, and once in October. The team will compete on all seven days of the week this season. The most common day the Young Lions will play is on Sunday (13 games), which was expected since the first team usually plays on Saturday. Additionally, they have five games on Saturday, three games each on Wednesday and Friday, two games on Thursday, and one game on Monday and Tuesday.

The addition of two teams sees an expansion of the playoffs from 14 to 16 teams. The top four seeds in each conference will host the first round and, for the second consecutive season, pick their opponents. The highest remaining seed will pick its opponent in the second round, setting up the conference semifinal matchups. The postseason will include 15 games this year, concluding with the MLS NEXT Pro Cup.

The rules from the 2023 season are returning to MLS NEXT Pro for the third consecutive year. The league has been a place for MLS to try out new ideas, some of which are included in the top division this season. Once again, games tied after 90 minutes will go directly to a shootout for an additional point. Rules regarding players receiving treatment, serving red card suspensions against the same team, and substitutes leaving the field within 10 seconds all remain in place this year.

The majority of regular season games and all Decision Day games will again air on Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass. The remaining games will be streamed live on mlsnextpro.com.

Orlando City B’s 2024 Schedule

• Saturday, March 16 at Atlanta United 2, 3 p.m.
• Friday, March 22 at Huntsville City FC, 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 2 vs. Inter Miami CF II, 7 p.m.
• Thursday, April 11 at Philadelphia Union II, 4 p.m.
• Sunday, April 14 vs. Carolina Core FC, 3 p.m.
• Friday, April 19 at Crown Legacy FC, 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, April 28 vs. Toronto FC II, 3 p.m.
• Saturday, May 4 at Chattanooga FC, 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 8 vs. New York Red Bulls II, 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 15 at Columbus Crew 2, 12 p.m.
• Sunday, May 26 vs. Huntsville City FC, 6 p.m.
• Sunday, June 2 at Inter Miami CF II, 6 p.m.
• Thursday, June 13 vs Chattanooga FC, 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 26 vs. Atlanta United 2, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, June 29 at New York City FC II, 8:30 p.m.
• Sunday, July 7 vs. Carolina Core FC, 7 p.m.
• Sunday, July 14 vs Inter Miami CF II, 7 p.m.
• Sunday, July 21 at New York Red Bulls II, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, July 27 at Chattanooga FC, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 3 at Carolina Core FC, 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 11 vs. Crown Legacy FC, 5 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 18 vs. New York City FC II, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 23 at Atlanta United 2, 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Sept. 1 vs. Huntsville City FC, 7 p.m.
• Sunday, Sept. 8 at Crown Legacy FC, 3 p.m.
• Sunday, Sept. 15 vs. New England Revolution II, 5 p.m.
• Monday, Sept. 23 vs. Chicago Fire II, 5 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 6 at FC Cincinnati 2, 1 p.m.