Orlando Pride (8-4-1, 25 points) vs Utah Royals (1-10-2, 5 points)
When: Sunday, August 3, 6:00 p.m. ET
Where: Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
Attend: Tickets
TV: Watch on NWSL+, Paramount+, and FanDuel Sports Network Florida
As the Pride host the Royals, here are five things to watch for:
Treated Like Royalty
Orlando has won all three of its meetings with Utah since the start of the 2024 season by a combined score of 10-1. The Pride’s 6-0 home win over the Royals last season is one of six wins by a league-record margin of six goals in regular-season play in NWSL history. Prior to the Royals rejoining the NWSL, the Pride only had one win against them in six games.
A Queen’s Kingdom
The Pride have won their last seven home matches against teams from west of the Rocky Mountains, outscoring them 18-6 in those matches dating back to April 2024. Prior to this run, teams coming from the western part of the United States had lost just four of 25 times they visited Central Florida.
More Goals, Your Highness
Barbra Banda followed a two-goal performance in her first match against Utah with a hat trick in her second, a 3-1 win back on May 23 of this season. Banda is just the second player to score multiple goals in her first two regular season matches against a single opponent. Looking ahead to this match, Banda will look to join Sam Kerr as the only other NWSL player to have scored multiple times in three straight league meetings with a single opponent at any time.
The Kingdom Reigns
It was a busy month off the pitch for the Pride while they were away from NWSL play, making multiple transactions. The Pride signed three players to new contracts, ensuring that Haley McCutcheon, Ally Lemos and Zara Chavoshi all stayed in Orlando for the foreseeable future. Midfielder Viviana Villacorta and the Pride agreed to exercise her mutual option for the 2026 season, while Grace Chanda will also remain in Orlando after having her option exercised for the 2026 season. Finally, the Pride removed forward Simone Charley and midfielder Luana off the SEI list. In 2024, Luana was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and placed on SEI while undergoing chemotherapy treatment with Orlando Health Cancer Institute, the club’s official medical partner. She joined the Pride ahead of the 2024 season via transfer from Corinthians. Prior to her diagnosis, the São Paulo native appeared in three games to start the season, totaling 192 minutes. Charley has yet to appear for the Pride since joining the club ahead of the 2024 season via free agency after spending the previous two seasons with Angel City FC. She missed the entire 2024 season after rupturing the Achilles tendon in her right ankle and missed the 2023 season after sustaining the same injury in her left foot.
Internationally Known
The Pride are coming off a month-long break from regular season play that saw 11 of its players represent their respective countries in friendlies and international tournaments. Goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse won the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 with England, while Brazilians Angelina and Marta won the Copa América Femenina. Emily Sams and Kerry Abello represented the USWNT, while Zara Chavoshi represented Canada in friendly matches. Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya all represented Zambia in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
