Orlando City 2014 schedule released

ORLANDO, Fla. — Headlined by the most Saturday home games in club history, Orlando City SC announced its 2014 USL PRO schedule Thursday afternoon.  Fans will get a chance to enjoy a host of weekend matches throughout the historic final USL PRO season as the Lions prepare to enter Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2015.

The 2014 season kicks off for Orlando on March 22 in South Carolina against the Charleston Battery at Blackbaud Stadium. The club then comes back to Orlando for a three-game home stand, with the home opener on Saturday, March 29, against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. In total, Orlando will play 10 Saturday home matches throughout the 2014 season, which marks a new club record for regular season games on that day. All homes games kick off at 7:30 p.m. EST.

The Lions will face new competition in 2014, including expansion sides Sacramento Republic FC in California on July 17, and the Oklahoma City Energy on both April 26 (away) and May 4 (home). Other highlights include the June 28 match against newly-announced USL PRO club LA Galaxy II and the regular-season finale on September 6 vs.  last year’s Regular Season Champion Richmond Kickers.

Orlando will also play against two MLS Reserve teams in the 2014 regular season, including an away match against FC Dallas Reserves and June 6 bout vs. the Montreal Impact Reserves.

All home games in 2014 will be played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney Resort. The complex will serve as a one-year temporary home prior to the Lions entering Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2015.

To enhance the experience for spectators at home matches, additional stadium seating will be added to surround all four sides of the soccer field at the Complex. With increased capacity of approximately 5,200, the stadium will be one of the largest soccer venues in Central Florida. Other amenities include free parking, tailgating and a wide variety of food and beverage options.

2014 season tickets are still on sale and are the only way to guarantee your place in line for 2015 tickets in MLS. Season tickets include the 14 game home schedule and one unannounced US Open Cup match. For more information, fans can call (855) ORL-CITY.

The 2014 USL PRO Playoffs will include the top eight finishers in the table, with the quarterfinals (No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, etc.) set for the weekend of September 12-14. The semifinals featuring the four remaining teams will be played the following weekend, with the 2014 USL PRO Championship set for the weekend of September 26-28. All playoff rounds feature a single-game knockout format. Teams will not be re-seeded following each round.

WFTV