Orlando City Stadium
As well as home matches for Orlando City, Orlando Pride, the stadium has also been used as a host venue for both the United States men's and women's national teams, the finals for both the NWSL Championship and NCAA Women's College Cup, numerous Florida Cup games, the MLS Combine in 2018 and 2019, and the 2019 MLS All-Star Game.
Aside from soccer, the stadium hosted the 2019 and 2021 Cure Bowl, a college football bowl game, as well as the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games opening ceremony.
History
In April 2013, the City of Orlando purchased downtown land for $8.2 million to be used towards the construction of a $110 million MLS soccer stadium. However, in May, the Florida House of Representatives failed to vote on a bill that had passed the Senate that would have provided up to $30 million in state funds towards the stadium project. Orlando City SC President Phil Rawlins responded by expressing his intent to find alternative funding and keep seeking MLS expansion.
The Orlando downtown soccer stadium moved closer to securing funding on August 8, 2013, when Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer reached an agreement on a deal to provide financial support for a variety of Orlando projects including the new MLS soccer stadium. The last piece in stadium funding was an October 2013 vote on using an existing tourism tax to fund the final quarter of the $80 million stadium project. On October 22, 2013, the Orange County Board of Commissioners voted 5–2 to approve the use of $20 million in tourist development tax funds to build an $84 million multi-purpose soccer stadium in downtown Orlando.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced on December 11, 2013, that the 2016 and 2017 NCAA Women's College Soccer Championship would be held at the new stadium.
On August 4, 2014, the team announced that the stadium location would be moved one block west, to avoid having a delay to the opening day, due to Faith Deliverance Temple fighting the city's eminent-domain claim. The new location resulted in the closure of Parramore Avenue between Church Street and Central Boulevard in February 2015, as the stadium was built right on top of where the road currently runs.
The club played their 2015 MLS inaugural season home matches at Citrus Bowl. On January 13, 2016, club president Phil Rawlins announced that construction of the team's stadium was taking four months longer than expected and that the team would remain at the Citrus Bowl (since renamed Camping World Stadium) for the 2016 season.
On March 5, 2017, Orlando City began the 2017 season by hosting New York City FC in the stadium's inaugural match. Cyle Larin scored the first goal in stadium history as Orlando won 1–0 in front of a sellout crowd of 25,550.
On July 10, 2019, Orlando City progressed to their first U.S. Open Cup semi-final, defeating New York City FC on penalties after a 1–1 draw. The game received viral media coverage for what became known as "The Running of The Wall" when NYCFC won the coin toss for the penalty shoot-out and elected to kick the penalties in front of an empty South Stand, the opposite side of the stadium to The Wall where the Orlando City supporters were located. The Orlando supporters took it upon themselves to run en masse down the length of the concourse and fill up the stand directly behind the goal the penalties were being taken. Adam Grinwis saved two penalties during the shootout win.
On May 12, 2021, Orlando City majority owner Flavio Augusto da Silva announced he was in advanced negotiations with Zygi and Mark Wilf, owners of the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL, for the sale of the club including the stadium and other related soccer assets. The combined value of the deal was estimated at $400–450 million. The sale was completed on July 21, 2021.
Financing
Orlando City SC's owners announced on May 29, 2015, that the stadium would be privately funded by Orlando City SC and not the city. They also announced they would upgrade the stadium's capacity from 19,000 seats, to somewhere between 25,000 and 28,000 seats. The new plan was unveiled on July 31, increasing capacity to 25,500 by adding seats to the south end to maximize seats without major design changes that would set back the project by an additional year. Costs also rose from $110 million to $155 million.
As part of the private funding venture for the new stadium, at least $15 million has come from 30 foreign investors in countries such as Brazil and China via the EB-5 investment program, which grants American visas in exchange for a $500,000 investment in the project.
More foreign investors looking to obtain green cards through the EB-5 program are joining this project, which has already created around 1000 jobs and is expected to create around 1000 more in an area that much needed its economic growth.
Design
The team released artistic renderings of the stadium on December 11, 2012. On September 30, 2013, the architectural firm Woods Bagot released their drawings of the stadium on their website. The team announced that these drawings were released without their knowledge or input, and that they had not selected an architect yet. Woods Bagot proceed to remove the images from their website. The design phase began on January 7, 2014, when Mayor Buddy Dyer and some of the Orlando City SC staff traveled to Kansas City to begin working with the design firm Populous.
The original renderings of the stadium proposed 18,000 seats, including 2,500 club seats. It would also have 300 seats in specialty suites. The stadium's square footage is about 290,000 square feet (27,000 m), with 120,000 square feet (11,000 m) devoted to the bowl. It was also supposedly going to have bars, retail shops, and restaurants.
Additional renderings and information about the stadium were released on June 10, 2014. The stadium has an open plaza, where those passing by can see inside, since the field is 8 feet (2.4 m) below street level. It was initially planned to have a seating capacity of 19,500, with the structural ability to expand to 25,000 in the future. This was changed in May 2015 to simply building room for 25,000 in the initial construction, rather than waiting for another construction period. The field is grass, with canopies over fans to protect them from the elements and to increase noise levels. Just before a game began, the lion would rotate 180° to "watch" the action. A festival plaza lined with palm trees on the south end of the plaza, just outside the main entrance at Church Street and Terry Avenue was built (the streets are closed to vehicles during events). A balcony-style bar just below the video scoreboard with a 360° view was planned as well. A seating section on the north end is dedicated to members of supporters' clubs. As proposed — and if building codes allow — it has no seats, but rails and extra room for "safe standing". The 3,811-capacity section, known as "The Wall" began as a small but ardent collection of fans from the two main supporter groups, The Ruckus and Iron Lion Firm. The supporters' section would also have its own "pub-style" area.
Heineken announced a partnership with multiple MLS teams on November 12, 2014, including Orlando City, making Heineken the official beer of the team as well as giving Heineken naming rights to the ground level bar on the south side of the stadium. In addition to the announcement, a new rendering of the south side from inside the stadium was released.
Panasonic was announced as the team's "Official Technology Partner" on December 17, 2014, in exchange for Panasonic providing on-field and fascia LED boards, the main scoreboard on the south end of the field, and dozens of flat panel TV screens throughout the stadium in suites, offices and work areas. In addition, Panasonic provides security cameras, control room and other key components for the new stadium.
The stadium includes 49 rainbow-colored seats in Section 12 as a memorial that honors the victims of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting.
Naming rights
On June 4, 2019, it was announced that Exploria Resorts (a timeshare entity based in nearby Clermont) had acquired naming rights to the stadium. On January 18, 2024, Brazilian digital bank Inter&Co secured the naming rights to the stadium.
International soccer matches
Men's matches
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 6, 2017 |  United States
|
4–0 |  Panama
|
2018 FIFA World Cup qualification fifth round | 25,303 |
| March 21, 2019 | United States
|
1–0 |  Ecuador
|
International friendly | 17,442 |
| November 15, 2019 | United States
|
4–1 |  Canada
|
2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League A | 13,103 |
| January 31, 2021 | United States
|
7–0 |  Trinidad and Tobago
|
International friendly | 3,503 |
| March 25, 2021 | Canada
|
5–1 |  Bermuda
|
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification first round | N/A |
| July 12, 2021 |  Jamaica
|
2–0 |  Suriname
|
2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup | 6,403 |
 Costa Rica
|
3–1 |  Guadeloupe
| |||
| July 16, 2021 | Guadeloupe
|
1–2 | Jamaica
|
6,527 | |
| Suriname
|
1–2 | Costa Rica
| |||
| July 20, 2021 | Costa Rica
|
1–0 | Jamaica
|
10,264 | |
| Panama
|
3–1 |  Grenada
| |||
| March 27, 2022 | United States
|
5–1 | Panama
|
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification third round | 25,022 |
| March 27, 2023 | United States
|
1–0 |  El Salvador
|
2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League A | 18,947 |
| June 29, 2024 | Canada
|
0–0 |  Chile
|
2024 Copa América | 24,481 |
| July 1, 2024 |  Bolivia
|
1–3 | Panama
|
16,129 |
Women's matches
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 7, 2018 |  France
|
3–0 |  Germany
|
2018 SheBelieves Cup | 6,525 |
| United States
|
1–0 |  England
|
12,351 | ||
| March 5, 2020 |  Spain
|
3–1 |  Japan
|
2020 SheBelieves Cup | 7,528 |
| United States
|
2–0 | England
|
16,531 | ||
| January 18, 2021 | United States
|
4–0 |  Colombia
|
International friendly | 2,042 |
| January 22, 2021 | United States
|
6–0 | Colombia
|
3,202 | |
| February 18, 2021 |  Brazil
|
4–1 |  Argentina
|
2021 SheBelieves Cup | 1,119 |
| United States
|
1–0 | Canada
|
3,104 | ||
| February 21, 2021 | United States
|
2–0 | Brazil
|
4,000 | |
| Argentina
|
0–1 | Canada
|
1,348 | ||
| February 24, 2021 | Canada
|
0–2 | Brazil
|
1,409 | |
| United States
|
6–0 | Argentina
|
3,702 | ||
| February 16, 2023 | Japan
|
0–1 | Brazil
|
2023 SheBelieves Cup | 6,453 |
| United States
|
2–0 | Canada
|
14,697 | ||
| April 6, 2024 |  Mexico
|
0–1 | Colombia
|
International friendly |
Other notable soccer matches
CONCACAF Champions League
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, CONCACAF selected Exploria Stadium to host the latter stages of the delayed 2020 CONCACAF Champions League in one centralized and neutral location. With the competition paused in March at the quarter-final stage, three of the four ties had already had the first leg contested. Los Angeles FC vs Cruz Azul was the only outstanding first leg and was changed to a single-leg match as a result. All games were played behind closed doors.
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 15, 2020 |  Olimpia
|
0–1 | Montreal Impact
|
2020 CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals |
N/A |
| Tigres
|
4–0 | New York City FC
| |||
| December 16, 2020 | Atlanta United
|
1–0 | América
| ||
| Los Angeles FC
|
2–1 | Cruz Azul
| |||
| December 19, 2020 | Tigres
|
3–0 | Olimpia
|
2020 CONCACAF Champions League semi-finals | |
| Los Angeles FC
|
3–1 | América
| |||
| December 22, 2020 | Tigres
|
2–1 | Los Angeles FC
|
2020 CONCACAF Champions League Final |
- ^ 2–2 on aggregate, Olimpia progressed on away goals rule.
- ^ UANL won 5–0 on aggregate.
- ^ América won 3–1 on aggregate.
- ^ Single-legged tie.
Exhibitions
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 23, 2023 | Team Ronaldinho | 4–3 | Team Roberto Carlos | The Beautiful Game | – |
Florida Cup
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 10, 2018 | Corinthians
|
p 1–1 |  PSV Eindhoven
|
2018 Florida Cup | – |
| January 11, 2018 | Atlético Mineiro
|
0–1 |  Rangers
|
– | |
| January 10, 2019 | Ajax
|
2–2 p | Flamengo
|
2019 Florida Cup | – |
| January 12, 2019 | São Paulo
|
2–4 | Ajax
|
– | |
| Flamengo
|
1–0 | Eintracht Frankfurt
| |||
| January 15, 2020 | Corinthians
|
2–1 | New York City FC
|
2020 Florida Cup | – |
| Palmeiras
|
p 0–0 | Atlético Nacional
| |||
| January 18, 2020 | New York City FC
|
1–2 | Palmeiras
|
11,569 | |
| Atlético Nacional
|
2–1 | Corinthians
| |||
| July 20, 2022 | Orlando City
|
1–3 | Arsenal
|
2022 Florida Cup | 19,738 |
| January 27, 2024 | Orlando City
|
1–1 | Flamengo
|
2024 Florida Cup |
Friendlies
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2019 | Pachuca
|
1–2 | Independiente Medellín
|
Friendly | – |
| January 17, 2023 | River Plate
|
3–0 | Vasco da Gama
|
– | |
| July 26, 2023 | Fulham
|
0–2 | Aston Villa
|
Premier League Summer Series | 16,134 |
MLS All-Stars
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2019 | MLS All-Stars
|
0–3 | Atlético Madrid
|
2019 MLS All-Star Game | 25,527 |
NCAA
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 3, 2017 |  Stanford
|
3–2 | UCLA
|
2017 NCAA Women's College Cup Final | 1,938 |
NWSL
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 14, 2017 |  North Carolina Courage
|
0–1 |  Portland Thorns FC
|
2017 NWSL Championship | 8,124 |
U.S. Open Cup
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 7, 2022 |  Orlando City SC
|
3–0 | Sacramento Republic FC
|
2022 U.S. Open Cup Final | 25,527 |
Other sports
Football
In May 2019, Cure Bowl officials announced the college football game would be moved to Exploria Stadium from Camping World Stadium. It was the stadium's first non-soccer event. It moved back to Camping World Stadium in 2020 after it was acquired by ESPN Events, but returned for two additional playings, in 2021 and 2022.
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 21, 2019 | Georgia Southern Eagles | 16–23 | Liberty Flames | 2019 Cure Bowl | 18,158 |
| December 17, 2021 | Northern Illinois Huskies | 41–47 | Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | 2021 Cure Bowl | 9,784 |
| December 16, 2022 | UTSA Roadrunners | 12–18 | Troy Trojans | 2022 Cure Bowl | 11,911 |
Other events
Concerts
| Date | Act(s) | Event | Attendance | Additional notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2020 | Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra | Opening night of 2020–21 concert season | – | First professional orchestra to perform a full concert in a U.S. soccer stadium. Moved from Bob Carr Theater. Reduced capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions. |
| June 5, 2022 | Disney Live Entertainment, Sara Bareilles | 2022 Special Olympics USA Games opening ceremony | – | Produced by Disney Live Entertainment. Also featured the Parade of Athletes and the lighting of the Flame of Hope. |
Gallery
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Exploria Stadium -
Overview of Exploria Stadium -
Night game at Exploria Stadium
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