Orlando Pride FC, often simply called Pride, are a professional women’s football club based in Orlando, United States. They compete in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women’s club football in the country. The team is affiliated with the city’s Major League Soccer side through shared ownership, helping establish a strong local football identity.
Founded in 2015 as an NWSL expansion club, Orlando Pride began league play in 2016. From the outset they attracted significant attention by signing high-profile internationals, most notably United States forward Alex Morgan and Brazilian star Marta, along with other prominent players such as Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris. Their first major on-pitch milestone came in 2017 when they qualified for the NWSL play-offs, signalling competitive potential in a rapidly improving league.
In subsequent years the Pride have undergone periods of rebuilding and tactical reshaping, with coaching changes and an increasing emphasis on developing younger talent, while remaining an important standard-bearer for women’s professional sport in the south-east of the United States.
