Prior to Saturday night’s 2023 MLS home opener against the New York Red Bulls, Orlando City held a pregame ceremony to honor the club’s first trophy in their MLS tenure, the 2022 U.S. Open Cup.

The banner, which was raised above The Wall supporters section, will be a permanent fixture in the stadium.

“It’s very special for our fans and for the community,” Orlando City chairman Mark Wilf said before the game. “We saw that energy when we won that U.S. Open Cup title and it just gives us a thirst for more. So when we unveil that banner here tonight, it’s gonna be a really electric moment and we want more of that and that’s why we’re prepared, willing, and are investing heavily to make sure we elevate.”

Alongside the new pennant, the club hung two banners alongside the new one, honoring the two USL Pro Championships the club won in 2011 and 2013, before making the jump to MLS.

“We have a short history, but it’s already a rich history,” Wilf said, “We want to honor that. We understand that teams and great clubs are built on a great history and so we’re going to have a great history wall on the East side of our stadium. Our fans can learn a little bit more about it and we do want to recognize all the victories, excitement, and energy that has led to Exploria Stadium, to the US Open Cup trophy, and soon-to-be, hopefully, MLS Cup trophies. So we honor that legacy and history.”

---

For more soccer news, follow the Soccer Journal on Twitter: @OSJSoccer