The Orlando Pride squad and front office are making full preparations for a hard fight this season. Those preparations don’t include any rebuild.
Certainly, there are new players on the Orlando Pride squad this season. In mid-January, they picked up another goalkeeper, a defender, and two forwards. The NWSL promises tough competition. But everyone agrees – this squad has what it takes to return to the league championship match again.
As Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Caitlin Carducci said she didn’t step into a rebuild when joining the organization in January.
A champion foundation is in place for a championship like the one they had in 2024, winning both the NWSL Championship and Shield. So no rebuild, despite finishing the 2025 season in fourth place.
As the Pride begin their preparations on the pitch, instead of rebuilding, they will refine this strong foundation. That refinement begins as they train for the 2026 season.
Carducci will learn what Pride coaches do with the players on the roster during drills. Her system doesn’t focus on adding players so much as ensuring players fit with the winning foundation that exists. That emphasis is where Head Coach Seb Hines comes in.
Hines began establishing that foundation when he took over the job in 2022. In 2023, the Pride barely missed the players. Then in 2024, they won the NWSL Shield and Championship. They returned to the playoffs last season and will again this season.
Players on the squad will match the culture that Hines and the coaches have established. All personnel from the front office to the scouts will be responsible for upholding the club’s standards.
There will always be a new plateau for the Orlando Pride to strive toward and reach. By their focus on the club’s foundation and upholding their standards, another shield and another championship are within their reach in 2026.