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Orlando City Opens 2026 MLS Season With New Faces and Championship Ambitions
The Orlando City Soccer Club opens the season February with a host of new players and many questions about the roster. Gone is the man who led the team to 6 straight playoffs, goalkeeper Pedro Gallese who signed in South America, his departure seemingly mutual. Also gone, starting center back Rodrigo Schlegel, best known for saving the match in an Orlando City playoff game when he was forced to put on gloves and serve as goalkeeper in a shootout against NYCFC. He will forever be remembered for this moment, but also for getting a red card in a playoff loss just a year later.
“It looks different for sure” Manager Oscar Pareja told the assembled media for the opening of training at Osceola Heritage Park, and the team’s leading scorer from last season, Martin Ojeda admitted as much. “Weird to not see them. Weird to not see them in the building…. That’s life in football”
The bench will look different as well with stalwarts Kyle Smith, known as “The Accountant” for his career outside of soccer heading to Cincinnati, “Dagur Dan” Thorhallsson was sent to Montreal, and midfielder Cesar Arajuo decided not re-sign with the team. It’s a season of massive change for a club that has made the playoffs six seasons in a row, every year Oscar Pareja has been the manager. The goals still remain exactly the same. “We want to win the MLS Cup and every single tournament we participate in” Pareja boldly proclaimed, lamenting about last year’s late season swoon that necessitated so many changes. “It was not good enough. We are aiming to bigger prizes, nothing else.”
To get back in the chase for the MLS Cup, City will need another huge season from Ojeda. He scored 20 goals last season and added 13 assists across all competitions, the most in a single season in team history. He said the team has “renewed energy” and personally he is ready to go. “Always happy to get back to it.” Ojeda knows the team fell short of expectations last season. “I hope this year is going to be a little bit more regular for us, where we’ll be able to stay a little more consistent and finish out the year the way we wanted to finish the year”, and Ojeda wants the club to think like what is referred to in soccer as a big team. “One thing we can control is the ambition that we have.”
Also back and with a new contract is team captain, center back Robin Jansson. He should be joined on the backline by David Brekalo who moves over from left back. The team also expects depth help at center back from Adrian Marin who came over from Spain late last season. In the midfield, Eduard Atuesta returns, and the team has high hopes a star from the past is ready to go and boost the team’s play. Wilder Cartagena tore his achilles before the 2025 season even started and was dearly missed last year. His return would allow City to play exactly the way Coach Pareja wants with control in the center of the park. Up front, Orlando City has several options. Ivan Angulo is back on the left side. Martin Ojeda will play at the number 10 position, and Duncan Maguire is the team’s current best option at striker. Late in the 2025 season, the team added promising Tyrese Spicer, who adds speed on the wing. He also got a new contract to stay with City long term.
How the new guys mesh and play will make or break Orlando City’s season, and Martin Ojeda knows it. “It’s important to get that work and build that chemistry on the field and in the locker room as well.” Goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau comes over from Portland where the Timbers allowed his contract to expire. He is being considered as a potential starter in the World Cup for Canada this summer, so he will have a lot to prove in advance of sporting’s biggest tournament.
In the midfield, Orlando City spent some money in the offseason bringing in Under 22 Initiative player Luis Otavio from Serie A in Brazil for a $3.2 million dollar transfer fee. The 19 year old will fight for time with another big signing. City paid $1.2 million in what MLS calls GAM (General Allocation Money) for Salt Lake City midfielder Braian Ojeda. He isn’t considered a goal scorer but will do all of the little things that make a team successful.
Up front there are questions with Luis Muriel being a late departure, and the club moving on from Nico Rodriguez. In comes youth player Tiago from the top flight in Brazil. If Orlando City is to make a move, it would likely be to bring in a proven goal scorer to help Duncan Maguire and Martin Ojeda.
Will the team have enough scoring using Maguire as its primary striker? How will a new midfield gel with Cartagena returning and Jordan Gerbet still recovering from an ACL injury? The team long hoped to play David Brekalo at center back instead of a fullback position, will it work? How will the new guys adjust to the heat and grind of playing in Orlando? Will any of the 4 MLS Super Draft picks contribute to the team? So many questions will have to be answered when the Lions open the season against the New York Red Bulls on February 21st.
This is season number seven for Manager Oscar Pareja, but he is deflecting his indelible stamp on Orlando City. “The most important thing is the team, not any player or coach.” Still, he knows it is a make-or-break year, and the noise from fans will be as loud as ever. “If I don’t perform, I should be out or I will lose my job. That’s normal.” It’s playoffs or bust for Orlando City and fans want, even expect more.
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