For the sixth consecutive season, Orlando City SC qualified once again for the MLS Cup Playoffs, however, many would argue that 2025 was a disappointing season for the club. 

The trajectory of the club has been going downhill since their 2nd place Eastern Conference finish (in 2023) & 4th place Eastern Conference finish (in 2024).

This season, the squad snuck into the MLS Cup Playoffs as the #9 seed and fell in the wildcard round to Chicago Fire FC 3-1.

Taking a glance at the overall season, Orlando went 8-5-4 at home & 6-4-7 on the road. They scored 4 more goals and allowed 1 goal more in comparison to their 2024 campaign.

With their roster decisions published, Orlando will have some roster flexibility.

In the offseason guide:

The Positives

Martín Ojeda was fantastic this season. The midfielder had 31 goal contributions (16 goals & 15 assists) and was an amazing piece of Orlando’s attack. Adding in Marco Pašalić’s 17 goal contributions (12 goals & 5 assists) & Luis Muriel’s 18 goal contributions (9 goals & 9 assists), the Designated Players for Orlando shined.

Defender Alex Freeman shined for Orlando City SC this season. The young defender had 9 goal contributions (6 goals & 3 assists) along with a spot on the MLS All-Star team. It’s no shock that he is highly sought after, specifically by La Liga club Villarreal. The club has reportedly had multiple summer bids rejected by the club this past summer. It’s possible that Orlando could obtain a high fee for the young defender this winter.

One positive was Orlando’s involvement in competitions this season. Yes, they battled to the MLS Cup Playoffs, but more importantly, they battled to the semifinals of the Leagues Cup. Yes, both competitions didn’t end the way the club had wanted; however, their grit and determination should be appreciated and with the right improvements, they’ll return to success.

The Negatives

This club snuck into the playoffs. It’s that simple. Yes, they finished 10-points clear (for the wildcard spot), however, this is not the Orlando City that everyone is used to. This club struggled in most competitions and failed to get the job done when they needed to most.

A big change this offseason will be that after six seasons as goalkeeper for Orlando City SC, their captain, Pedro Gallese will be departing the club at the end of the season. Additionally, key midfielder César Araújo will also be departing the club. These are two massive voids that Oscar Pareja NEEDS TO fill this offseason.

I did note in the positives that the squad took part in the Leagues Cup, but the squad also took part in both the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. This will be featured in the negatives due to the unsuccessfulness in both competitions.

In the Open Cup, they fell in the round of 16 of the U.S. Open Cup to the eventual champions, Nashville SC, in a back-and-forth 3-2 match.

In the Leagues Cup, they charged all the way to the Leagues Cup semifinals where they fell 3-1 to Inter Miami CF (3-1) & then lost in the third place to Los Angeles Galaxy (2-1), thwarting the squad from Concacaf Champions Cup qualification.

I’m not saying that the surplus of games had an effect on the overall outcome of their season, but it’s no doubt that when they played 7+ more games than most other teams, that adds up. Might be important for the club to consider the importance of competitions and the workload for the upcoming season(s).

Roster Flexibility

Orlando City SC have some roster flexibility. At the moment, the club has three designated players (Luis Muriel, Martín Ojeda, Marco Pašalić) and one U-22 initiative signing (Nicolas Rodriguez).

This club is currently in the 3DP and 3 U-22s model. In regard to GAM totals, the club has $622,039 of GAM (as of Sept. 18, 2025).

The club announced their end-of-season roster update, where they announced most contract option decisions. 

The club is entering the 2026 season with 22 players rostered as of November 17th.

Offseason Priorities

With Pedro Gallese (TAM), & César Araújo (TAM) both departing, Orlando will need to sign a starting goalkeeper & a new starting midfielder.

This is a good team that should be within the top 4 of the eastern conference, however, they need to go out and sign players to improve this roster.