Orlando City played its first home game in two months Saturday night, and right before kickoff there was a cool moment on the field as the club celebrated the three Lions who played in the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup: Maxime Crépeau, Braian Ojeda, and Marco Pašalić. All three players played on teams that made it out of the group stage, and Crépeau’s Canada and Ojeda’s Paraguay both made it to the Round of 16. I watched all of the games for all three Lions during the World Cup, and it was always fun to hear the announcers mention that those three players represented Orlando City from Major League Soccer.

There is no more soccer to be played in the 2026 World Cup, but FIFA is now getting down to the business of what it really cares about doing — counting up all the money it made and distributing enough of it so that FIFA’s leaders stay in power. Few organizations in the world are as reviled as FIFA, yet we all love soccer so much we just grin and bear it so we can watch the world’s best on the biggest stages. The only positive thing about FIFA President Gianni Infantino is his magnificent bald head (I may be slightly biased due to being not so slightly follicly challenged), and the less time spent on him the better.

I do not want to spend any more time on Infantino and will instead spend time looking at FIFA’s spending — in particular what is coming Orlando City’s way in the upcoming months. The Athletic’s Chris Weatherspoon wrote a great article recently detailing how FIFA will compensate clubs for allowing their players to participate in the World Cup, and he laid out the two ways that clubs will be paid by FIFA post-World Cup:

FIFA pays out on the basis of how many days finals participants are at the competition, between the mandatory release date of May 25 and the day after their national team’s last match in the competition.

(FIFA pays clubs) For any player who was selected in a matchday squad for any of the 905 qualifying games that determined the 48 participating teams this June and July. On top of that, clubs of players who were named in squads for the three host countries in their 10 friendlies before this summer’s finals will also receive payment.

The payment amounts are not fully locked in yet, but the estimates are that clubs will be paid approximately $5,000 per day that their team members were at the World Cup and $2,632 per matchday selection for World Cup qualifiers and/or friendlies for players from the three host nations. Let’s take a look at what Orlando City should be expecting to receive from FIFA, hopefully hand-delivered on an ostentatiously large check.

Pašalić’s Croatia was eliminated by Portugal on July 2, and both Crépeau’s Canada (eliminated by Morocco) and Ojeda’s Parauguay (eliminated by France) went out on July 4. Using FIFA’s parameters of a start date of May 25 running through the day after a team was eliminated and an amount of $5,000 per day yields the payouts below to Orlando City:

Not quite what Noah accomplished in 40 days and nights, but $620,000 is a nice payout from the arc of the World Cup. The Athletic included in its article a list of the 50 clubs that will earn the most from their players participating in the World Cup, and the 50th ranked club (Juventus) is estimated to make $1.2 million, approximately twice what Orlando City will earn. No Major League Soccer teams are in the estimated top 50 clubs, and by my calculations LAFC (the only MLS club that sent four players) led the way at $790,000, with Inter Miami just behind at $780,000.

Looking at which players played in qualifying games was a fun exercise, as qualifying for the 2026 World Cup started way back in September of 2023, so it was a blast from the recent past to look at the rosters from the last few years. The list below contains all players owned by Orlando City (mostly Lions, but some Young Lions) who were called up and dressed for their national teams during their time in Orlando. This list only counts appearances on the gameday roster for World Cup qualifiers and recent friendlies for Canada and USA (it would have counted friendlies for Mexico too, but our southern neighbors continue to be Lion-free). The estimated payout per appearance is $2,632.

Though Ojeda appeared in the World Cup for Paraguay he only joined Orlando City after World Cup qualification was completed in South America, so he did not earn any money for the club in this manner. Had Alex Freeman stayed with the club through the World Cup, as many thought he might, he would have earned the most money for Orlando City as he was called up for all of the 10 most recent friendlies for the U.S. Men’s National Team and he was at the World Cup for 43 days. Alas, only six of his friendly appearances counted, but Orlando City surely enjoyed counting the reportedly $4+ million transfer fee the club received from Villarreal in Spain.

Club legends Pedro Gallese and Facundo Torres ended up contributing the most from their appearances, though neither player ended up actually playing in the World Cup, as Peru did not qualify and Torres was not selected by Uruguay. You should have stayed in Orlando, Facu!

Orlando City B was well represented also, with Abdi Salim and Nabi Kibunguchy participating in African qualifying matches and Wilfredo Rivera in North American qualifying, as even though Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States it is a full FIFA member on its own.

Five current Lions contributed to qualifying, the aforementioned Crépeau and Pašalić as well as David Brekalo, Wilder Cartagena, and Tyrese Spicer. Brekalo dressed for all six of Slovenia’s matches , Cartagena was called in for every match for Peru up until he suffered an injury in early 2025, and Spicer dressed in every match for Trinidad & Tobago except for its final qualifier, which took place after it could no longer advance from its group.

The overall tally for Orlando City’s participation in qualifying is an estimated $177,150, which combined with the estimated $620,000 from its players who actually participated in the World Cup means that the club should receive a check for something in the vicinity of $800,000 whenever FIFA distributes its spoils to all of the clubs around the world. FIFA may have no interest in accountability in most matters, but its accounting teams are like a well-oiled machine with collecting and distributing bribes funds, so that check should be coming soon.

That payment will close the door on the 2026 World Cup for Orlando City, one that appears to have been successful for the club as all three players contributed to their national teams, returned healthy (Pašalić has yet to play, but he is training and likely will dress for Saturday’s game), and earned more than half a million dollars for the club. The team has also taken all six points since the World Cup break ended, but two games is still far too small of a sample to say the team is back to being a threat in the Eastern Conference.

Maybe that will be the final payoff, though.

Vamos Orlando!

Orlando City is back in action Saturday night against the New York Red Bulls at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The Lions are riding a two-match winning streak heading into this Eastern Conference clash. Orlando City has looked like a different team since the break and the addition of Antoine Griezmann has everyone feeling good, but every point counts and we’ll see if the team can keep it going. What must the Lions do to earn all three points against New York?

Keep it Clean

Orlando City kept back-to-back clean sheets coming out of the World Cup break. To say I’ve been surprised by this is an understatement. The defense has been better — not perfect, but better. Robin Jansson has looked renewed and locked in, the other defenders are doing just enough to help him, and Antoine Griezmann is everywhere all at once, including in the defensive end.

New York may only have scored 26 goals so far, but I still think the defense will have its hands full with the Red Bulls attack. Julian Hall leads New York with nine goals this season, with Jorge Ruvalcaba right behind him with seven goals. The firepower doesn’t end with those two, as the Red Bulls also have Emil Forsberg, Cade Cowell, and Eric Choupo-Moting. Fortunately, the back line doesn’t have to do it alone.

The Magnificent Maxime

Following the World Cup, Maxime Crepeau is the goalkeeper we hoped he could be. The Canadian has 10 saves in the last two matches alone, including some that would win awards if anyone is still giving them out. The defense has played a higher line the last two matches, which may be helping him see things better. No matter the reason, I hope that whatever happened to him at the World Cup keeps working because he’s been outstanding. He even won the MLS All-Star Goalie Wars. If he can keep this form and the defense continues to improve, more clean sheets are on the way, potentially this weekend.

Accuracy Kills

Orlando City has been playing some beautiful soccer. The one-touch passing has been a joy to watch. The obvious change is the addition of Griezmann. His vision and talent is raising the play of those around him. I’m also going to hesitantly give credit to Martin Perelman. The interim coach had a mini preseason to implement his vision and it seems the team is implementing it on the pitch.

The Red Bulls are vulnerable in defense. Normally giving up 37 goals in 17 matches is pretty bad, and it is, just not in comparison to the 44 conceded by Orlando City. That comparison aside, New York has not been a staunch defensive squad like Nashville SC, and the Lions were able to score a goal against that team. Clean sheets are hard to come by, but if the offense is able to put a few on the board, it may make that unnecessary.

That is what I will be looking for on Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

How’s it going, Mane Landers? All three of Orlando’s soccer teams are on the road this weekend, so be sure to plan accordingly to enjoy all of the action. Whether it’s in your comfiest armchair or at your favorite bar, it should be a nice time to watch some soccer and relax. Feel free to let us know in the comments below if you have a go-to food plan for watching the games. I usually take the easy road and grab a pizza on the way home, but I am looking to switch it up. Let’s get to the links!

Crepeau Stays Hot at MLS All-Star Game

Maxime Crepeau’s strong restart to league play continues. The Canadian international played 30 minutes with the MLS All-Star Team to close out the 2026 MLS All-Star Game in Charlotte on Wednesday. The defense in front of Orlando City’s starting goalkeeper was porous, as Crepeau finished with six saves (equaling the total saves by Matt Freese and Brian Schwake combined) and allowed one goal. MLS beat Liga MX 4-3. After shutting out San Jose and Nashville and then winning the Goalie Wars championship at the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge on Tuesday, he turned in a great All-Star Game performance capping an outstanding eight days for Crepeau.

Here are two of his saves:

Orlando City Rides Momentum to Road Match

The Lions are flying high after a pair of great wins last week, shutting out both the San Jose Earthquakes and Nashville SC. Orlando’s next match will be on Saturday against the New York Red Bulls in a rematch of the season opener, which New York won 2-1. Plenty has changed since then, with the most notable difference being the addition of Antoine Griezmann to Orlando’s lineup. Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman provided some insight on the team’s preparations for this match before the Leagues Cup begins next week.

Orlando Pride Get Ready for North Carolina

Following a 1-0 win at home, the Orlando Pride will aim to carry some momentum on the road for a match against the North Carolina Courage on Friday. They’ll face a North Carolina side that has lost its past three matches, scoring just once and conceding nine goals during that stretch. Hopefully, the Pride can also find the back of the net against the Courage while Barbra Banda is away on international duty. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team will need to capitalize on its opportunities in a tough environment on the road.

Orlando Pride Support Local Community

The Orlando Pride and Heart of Florida United Way announced that $7,000 was donated to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides free support to those dealing with mental health challenges, emotional distress, and more. This was done as part of the club’s Assists for Good campaign that began this year, with the club donating $500 toward good causes in the community for each assist the Pride record this season. For the remainder of the season, Pride assists will result in donations to The Thanksgiving Project as well.

Orlando Pride defender Zara Chavoshi is also making a difference in the local community. She was nominated for the Lauren Holiday Impact Award this year and detailed the work she does for Habitat for Humanity to build homes. I’ve volunteered with Habitat for Humanity a few times and it was incredibly enriching work that I recommend at least looking into.

U.S. and Mauricio Pochettino Reportedly Near New Deal

An agreement is reportedly close to being reached between U.S. Soccer and Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino for him to stay on through the 2030 World Cup. While the U.S. won its first World Cup knockout game since 2002 this summer, the Yanks failed to make it past the round of 16 after a 4-1 loss to Belgium. Failing to win the 2025 Concacaf Nations League or 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup were other low points for the team under Pochettino, but a strong World Cup group stage performance and friendly wins over Japan, Uruguay, and Senegal showed some of the heights the U.S. could reach with him at the helm.

Free Kicks

• Orlando City B players Clovis Archange and Dylan Judelson both started and played the full 90 minutes in Canada’s match against Honduras at the Concacaf U-20 Championship. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, leaving Canada atop their group on four points through two of the three group-stage match days.

• The Portland Timbers signed Dutch forward Vincent Janssen to a contract through the 2027-2028 season. The 32-year-old has spent the past four seasons with Royal Antwerp, recording 64 goals and 27 assists across all competitions with the Belgian club.
• Liverpool is reportedly preparing a bid for French forward Bradley Bracola, who had 13 goals and seven assists with Paris Saint-Germain this past season.
• Victor Gabriel was the player involved in the challenge that resulted in Gabriel Pec’s broken leg in Brazil’s Serie A and the defender has been suspended from playing until Pec returns to training. It’s an unorthodox punishment, but I think it’s fitting.
• Roberto Mancini was once again hired as Italy’s head coach, even though he left the team to coach Saudi Arabia in 2023 the last time he was in charge. Surely retreading old ground is the right choice for a federation that hasn’t played a World Cup game in over a decade.
• FIFA lodged three disciplinary charges of assault against Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes, two against defender Nahuel Molina, and one against coach Roberto Ayala for their actions in the skirmish following the World Cup final.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!