Pride Unveil Full 2019 Schedule

The Orlando Pride will have a busy week to start the 2019 season, playing three games in seven days, starting with a home bout with Portland Thorns FC.

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Orlando Pride forward Marta Vieira da Silva shoots the ball during a 2-2 draw with Sky Blue FC at Orlando City Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018. (Photo by Victor Tan / New Day Review)

On Feb. 21, the National Women’s Soccer League’s nine teams unveiled their 2019 regular-season schedules. Each team will play 24 games for the third-straight season, hosting 12 and traveling to play the remaining half.

The Pride will be busy in their first week of the regular season, playing three matches. They will have three games in a week two other times in the season, too.

Orlando will start its season at home against Portland Thorns FC on April 14 at 5 p.m. The Pride have opened past seasons together, having competed in Portland, Oregon, to start the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Orlando lost 2-1 in 2016 and fell 2-0 in 2017.

The Pride’s next two games will then be on the road, as they will first travel to face the reigning league champions, the North Carolina Courage, and then the newly relocated Reign FC. Orlando’s match with North Carolina is on April 17 at 7 p.m., and its match with the club now based out of Tacoma, Washington, will be played on April 21 at 10 p.m.

Orlando will play the Courage in their club’s inaugural Friendship Cup to open the 2019 preseason on March 23.

Here are some notable facts from the schedule, per the club:

  • The Pride will play six home games over their first 12 matches and six more in the final half of the season
  • The Pride will play each of the other eight NWSL teams three times each
  • The Pride will have a three-game home stand from July 20 to Aug. 17, which also includes a 21-day break between matches from July 20 to Aug. 10
  • The Pride will play their first match following the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup on July 14 at Portland
  • The Pride will host Sky Blue FC on July 20 for their first home game after the 2019 World Cup
  • The Pride will join the rest of the league in a 12-day break from June 3 to June 14 for the group stage of the 2019 World Cup
  • The Pride and and Orlando City SC will host a two-match weekend in which the former hosts Sky Blue on July 20, and the latter hosts the New York Red Bulls on July 21
  • The NWSL will conclude its regular season on Oct. 13
  • The 2019 NWSL Playoffs will begin with semifinals matches on Oct. 19 and Oct. 20
  • The 2019 NWSL Final will be played on Oct. 26
  • The NWSL’s regular-season matches will be streamed on Yahoo! Sports, the NWSL app and NWSLsoccer.com

Here is the Pride’s complete 2019 schedule:

Date Opponent Time (ET)
SUNDAY, April 14 vs. Portland Thorns FC 5 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, April 17 at North Carolina Courage 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, April 21 at Reign FC 10 p.m.
SATURDAY, April 27 vs. Utah Royals FC 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, May 5 at Houston Dash 6 p.m.
SATURDAY, May 11 vs. Portland Thorns FC 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, May 25 at Utah Royals FC 8 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 1 vs. North Carolina Courage 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 15 at Houston Dash 8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 22 at Sky Blue FC 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, June 30 vs. Chicago Red Stars 5 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 6 vs. Washington Spirit 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 14 at Portland Thorns FC 3 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 20 vs. Sky Blue FC 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Aug. 10 vs. Houston Dash 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Aug. 17 vs. Utah Royals FC 7:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21 at Chicago Red Stars 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Aug. 24 at Washington Spirit 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Aug. 31 vs. Washington Spirit 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 7 at Reign FC 10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 11 vs. Chicago Red Stars 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 14 at North Carolina Courage 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 29 at Sky Blue FC 1 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oct. 12 vs. Reign FC 7:30 p.m.

For more on the Pride, as they prepare for their fourth season in the National Women’s Soccer League, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.

To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com, or you can tweet at him.