The 2026 NWSL season has been a difficult one for the Orlando Pride. Once league leaders who captured the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship in 2024, they are now in a difficult situation, fighting to reach the postseason. A very tough 2-1 home defeat to the San Diego Wave on October 2, 2026, highlighted their problems. With 10 wins, 14 defeats, and 3 draws (total 33 points), the Orlando Pride have only a very slim chance of making it to the playoffs. They will hope for positive results elsewhere and will depend on other teams’ help to achieve this aim.
The game with San Diego Wave at Inter&Co Stadium highlighted the problems they had through the whole season. Orlando Pride had the better looks early and did nothing with them. Then the backline handed over two gifts before the break, and that was the game. The defense never settled. One throw-in got mishandled, and Lia Godfrey walked it in for the opener. Later Hannah Anderson rolled a soft ball back toward her own goal; the keeper had already stepped out, and Gia Corley finished the freebie. Two unforced mistakes, two goals, and they never recovered.
While Barbra Banda did manage to score in the 52nd minute to cut the gap with a penalty kick, Orlando Pride were unable to complete a comeback. Yolanda Thomas, the interim head coach of the team, said in her post-game comments that basically “they gifted them a goal early,” which made them have to use extra effort to compensate.
However, despite the difficulties on the pitch, the Pride players are able to remain resolute. When asked about it in the postgame press conference, Thomas emphasized the players’ fighting spirit and noted that they would continue to fight. She mentioned the heavy emotional toll that the season has taken on them, saying, “The players are incredible professionals. They are resilient. “We’ve had to go through many troubles before changing coaches.”
Yolanda praised the efforts and fighting spirit of her players, but the will power alone can’t solve big problems. The resilience is evident; however, there have been lapses in defense and in crucial game situations: in particular, in a 12 to 15-minute period when they weren’t able to press the opponents or control the game against San Diego.
During the remaining part of the 2026 season, starting with the October 18 game away at the Houston Dash, the Orlando Pride has to be perfect. Tactically, the team should stop making mistakes in the defensive zone. Thomas emphasized the necessity of staying mentally ready and focusing, even on apparently innocent plays, such as the one that led to San Diego’s first goal. Offensively, they can’t rely solely on Barbra Banda. Players such as Solai Washington and Haley McCutcheon have to capitalize on their chances in the early minutes to set the tone of the game.
Comparing 2026 to 2024 title-winning seasons, the decline is obvious. During the offseason, the front office has a difficult task of fixing this situation, beginning with the issues with the team’s roster. Several players will see their contracts end at the end of the 2026 season. There are one-year deals with forward Seven Castain, goalkeeper Cara Martin and defender Nicole Payne. It is vital for the management to decide which of these players would fit into the rebuilding process.
The answer to the question of whether something should change is obviously yes: the Pride must acquire better players. The front office should pay special attention to signing a center-back who would address the issues in the defense and a top-notch central midfielder who would break lines and distribute the ball.
The crucial issue the front office will have to solve is leadership. Should Yolanda Thomas remain as the head coach of the team? While she successfully leads the locker room through all difficult situations, the inconsistency of the on-pitch results is obvious. One thing is certain: continuity has worked for this Orlando Pride. This continuity worked in 2023, and the results were evident in 2024. They need to go back to that.
It also raises an old issue connected with the club: was the firing of Seb Hines a mistake? Hines managed the team to win the 2024 championship, but he was fired on August 31, 2026, due to a string of poor results. The team had suffered numerous injuries at that time, including the Olympic absences, so his firing looked like a panic decision to many fans.
The defeat of the Orlando Pride against the San Diego Wave is not an exception but rather a reflection of their season. With the postseason hopes hanging by a thread, the club will have to face some bitter truths. They will have to find the coaching solution, make successful defensive signings, and culturally reset themselves to return to their previous level.
Keep supporting this team; the challenge is a hurdle that I am sure they will overcome.
As always, Vamos Pride!
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