Orlando City announced on Tuesday that they will launch a new National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team, the Orlando Pride, in 2016. Orlando also announced that the team will be coached by Tom Sermanni, the former manager of the Australian and US women’s national teams, and will play at the Citrus Bowl until Orlando's soccer-specific stadium opens.
"The name 'Orlando Pride' captures how we all feel about the City of Orlando, as well as firmly tying into the Lions family," Orlando founder and president Phil Rawlins said in a statement released by the club. "The time is right for women's professional soccer here in Central Florida, and we are excited to launch this new team for 2016.
“We want to win championships and build one of the best women's teams in world soccer. We have taken a strong first step in this direction by naming Tom Sermanni as head coach of the Pride. Tom brings world-class experience to our city, combined with the expertise to build a winning franchise."
Orlando will begin building their roster through an expansion draft on Nov. 2 and will have the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NWSL College Draft. More information will be released in the coming weeks and months regarding the team's technical staff and players.
The addition of the Pride will increase the NWSL to 10 teams for 2016. Orlando join the Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, FC Kansas City, Portland Thorns FC, Seattle Reign FC, Sky Blue FC, Washington Spirit and the Western New York Flash. Three of the clubs (Houston, Orlando, Portland) are owned and operated by MLS clubs.
Season tickets for the Pride's 2016 NWSL campaign go on sale on Tuesday for Orlando City's MLS season ticket members; they will go on sale to the general public at 1 p.m. on Oct. 25.
"Orlando has proven itself as a hotbed of soccer in the country, and I look forward to building on that legacy of success with the Orlando Pride," Sermanni said in the club statement. "Over the course of the coming weeks and months, I will work closely with the club's general manager, Paul McDonough, to build our technical staff and roster, attracting some of the best talent in women's professional soccer to Orlando. I am eager to get started and look forward to the 2016 season."
