Match preview: Seattle Reign vs. Orlando Pride

The 2026 Seattle Reign season is finally here! On Sunday, March 15, the Reign travel to Florida to take on the Orlando Pride, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year. The match kicks off at 1 pm PT and will air on Victory+, a new free streaming partner of the NWSL. It will also be available on Fox 13+ and the FoxLocal app in the Seattle area.

Both teams made limited moves this offseason, betting instead that their young players can grow and thrive alongside their veterans, so the teams have a bit more familiarity with each other than might otherwise be the case for such an early season game.

“We know they like to play,” Laura Harvey told reporters in her pregame remarks. “I think out of all the teams you could play first game of the season, playing the team that you played at the end of the season is always interesting. But but more importantly than that, the fact that they’ve same coach, a lot of the same players means that it’s not like a brand new team where you’re just not quite sure what you’re going to get. I think we know what to expect from Orlando, which will be a really tough game. They’re very good on both sides of the ball. We’ve been able to prepare maybe a little bit more than we maybe could have done if it was a team that had a lot of change.”

Seattle faced some challenges traveling to this game, with lengthy delays at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport due to snow on Thursday delaying their flight for over four hours.

Head-to-Head

The Reign are 7-6-8 all-time against Orlando; that includes a 2-4-5 record on the road against the Pride.

Key departures

The Pride saw Carson Pickett and Ally Brazier (formerly Watt) head to expansion club Denver Summit. USWNT defender Emily Sams, who was the 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year, transferred to Angel City, while NWSL veteran Morgan Gautrat departed to play in England. Kylie Nadaner is also out on maternity leave.

Key additions

In the offseason, the Pride added 2025 NWSL Shield winner Hailie Mace from the Kansas City Current along with acquiring Chicago Stars defender Hannah Anderson via trade. Orlando also added TCU forward Seven Castain, Georgetown goalkeeper Cara Martin, Thorns defender Nicole Payne, and Florida State forward Solai Washington.

What to watch

The Reign press: Orlando has been one of the toughest defensive teams the last two years but will be rotating through several new and untested players on the backline. This could give the Reign a chance to press high and pressure Orlando’s defense onto mistakes. The Reign have indicated they want to be a team that puts opponents under pressure this year, a departure from their low block on 2025. Can the Reign set a new tone from the beginning?

Crosses: Last year, the Pride attempt the most crosses in the league and averaged the second most corner kicks. They liked to push their fullbacks high to overlap with wing players, or send balls over the top to their speedy wingers (the Pride led the league in completed long balls). The Reign will need to put pressure on the ball higher up the field to prevent those long balls, and on the wings to limit uncontested crosses into the box. On the other end, can the Reign get in more dangerous positions to cross this game?

Creating chances: The Reign have said they want to build on last year by continuing to be hard to break down while also creating more chances in the attack. The Reign created the fewest expected goals in the league in 2025, but did a good job converting the limited chances they had. Can the Reign keep the ball in their attacking half against Orlando and create more shots in dangerous positions? And who steps up to provide that service?

Who to watch

Barbra Banda: One of the reasons the Pride struggled at times last year was because they lost Banda to injury for the second half of the year. When healthy, she’s one of the hardest forwards to stop. She’s strong, hard to get off the ball, a great dribbler, and a lethal shooter. She knows how to sneak into dangerous spots on corner kicks, too.

Jacquie Ovalle: Before the summer window closed, the Pride added Mexican forward/midfielder Jacquie Ovalle, paying a world-record transfer fee for women’s soccer at $1.5 million. Ovalle is unpredictable and crafty on the ball, she loves pressure, and as she demonstrated in the final regular season game against the Reign, she can whip in a dangerous cross.

Injury / Availability Report

Seattle Reign

OUT: Lynn Biyendolo (Maternity leave), Jordyn Bugg (Leg), Shae Holmes (Lower Leg), Sally Menti (Knee), Cassie Miller (Leg – SEI), Holly Ward (not due to injury)

Orlando Pride

OUT: Kerry Abello (Hip), Zara Chavoshi (Lower Leg), Marta (Excused Absence), Cosette Morche (Ankle – D45), Kylie Nadaner (Maternity Leave), Nicole Payne (Knee – SEI), Viviana Villacorta (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE: Angelina (Thigh)

How to watch

Seattle Reign kicks off against the Orlando Pride on Sunday, March 15. The game begins at 1 pm PT and will air on Victory+ nationally, and on Fox 13+ in the Seattle area.