Orlando Pride North Carolina preview: how to watch
The Orlando Pride North Carolina clash kicks off at 8 p.m. ET at First Horizon Stadium in Cary, with the Pride (7-8-2, 23 points) chasing playoff security against the Courage (6-6-3, 21 points). Stream it exclusively on Prime Video—there is no traditional TV broadcast—as Orlando looks to build on a late 1-0 win over Chicago.
This is the clubs’ second and final regular-season meeting, and the stakes are sharp: Orlando sits seventh, one point clear of Angel City FC for the last playoff place, while North Carolina is ninth and only two points back. For more sports and culture coverage, browse Future Tech & AI Wonders on BlasterPost.
Key Takeaways
- Kickoff is 8 p.m. ET at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC, streamed on Prime Video.
- Orlando (7-8-2, 23 pts) visits North Carolina (6-6-3, 21 pts) in a playoff-race showdown.
- Barbra Banda is away on Zambia duty; Kerry Abello, Hannah Anderson, Kylie Nadaner, and Viviana Villacorta are also out.
- The Pride won the May 8 meeting 1-0 on a late Banda goal and enter after Julie Doyle’s 88th-minute winner vs. Chicago.
- NC Courage are promoting the fixture as Spiderman Night at home.
Why does this Orlando Pride North Carolina match matter?
Orlando is two games into the second half of the NWSL season and fighting for postseason ground after a choppy stretch. A loss could drop the Pride out of the playoff places and let the Courage leapfrog them.
North Carolina has stumbled recently, losing to Washington, Bay FC, and Utah after a 3-1 win over Seattle. Coach Seb Hines said Orlando wants to “continue that momentum” from the Chicago win and “get the three points,” while warning Cary is “always a tough place to go.”
Ashley Sanchez (nine goals) leads the Courage attack, with Manaka Matsukubo and Evelyn Ijeh also among the scorers. Orlando’s defense has been a stabilizer, but goals without Banda remain the open question.
How can you watch the game live?
There is no linear TV broadcast. The match streams on Prime Video, according to The Mane Land’s preview. Venue: First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.
For live reaction, follow The Mane Land and the Pride’s official social channels. Official availability detail is posted by Orlando Pride.
What are the lineups and who is unavailable?
Orlando’s listed 4-2-3-1: Anna Moorhouse; Cori Dyke, Rafaelle, Zara Chavoshi, Oihane; Angelina, Ally Lemos; Jacquie Ovalle, Haley McCutcheon, Solai Washington; Marta. Bench options include Hailie Mace, Julie Doyle, Summer Yates, and others.
North Carolina’s listed XI: Kailen Sheridan; Feli Rauch, Maycee Bell, Natalie Jacobs, Ryan Williams; Shinomi Koyama, Erica Parkinson; Riley Jackson, Ashley Sanchez, Lauryn Thompson; Evelyn Ijeh.
Pride outs: Abello (thigh), Anderson (lower leg), Nadaner (maternity leave), Villacorta (knee), plus Banda (international duty). Courage outs: Payton Crawford and Sydney Schmidt (both knee). Referee crew is led by Trevor Wiseman.
Historically, Orlando is 7-11-3 against the Courage in NWSL play since 2017 and 3-5-3 in North Carolina in league matches—another reason this road night carries weight in a tight table.