HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, July 17, 2026) – Utah Royals FC (7-3-4, 24 pts) remains at home to host Orlando Pride (6-2-6, 20 pts) at America First Field. The matchup is set for Saturday, July 18 with kickoff at 6:45 p.m. MT. With two losses behind them, the Club will be determined to secure its first win since returning from the international break.
URFC enters the matchup following a 3-1 loss at home against Gotham FC, putting the Royals in 5th in the overall NWSL standings. The match also marked the first loss at home this season since March, when the Club fell to San Diego Wave during its second match of the season.
The Royals started the match strong against Gotham, with an early goal when Cece Delzer received the ball from Kiana Palacios, giving Utah the lead with a right-footed shot into the back of the net in the 23rd minute. The goal by Delzer is her second in back-to-back matches since the Royals return from international break, after converting a penalty the previous match against Chicago Stars FC. Notching two goals in the 2026 NWSL also moves Delzer into third place for the squad’s Golden Boot race alongside Palacios, Lara Prašnikar, and Tatumn Milazzo.
Unfortunately for the Club, Utah conceded a foul in the box in the minutes later, and Gotham’s Esther Gonzalez converted the penalty kick, equalizing the score. In stoppage time, Gotham’s Guro Reiten was awarded a corner, sending it to Tierna Davidson who slotted the ball home with a right-footed shot, giving Gotham a 2-1 lead just before halftime. In the 70th minute, Gonzalez received the ball from down the pitch, took a touch past goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn, sending the ball into the back of the net and handing the Royals a 3-1 loss in front of a home crowd.
Key pieces of the Royals’ squad returned from injury for the match against Gotham including Mina Tanaka, Miyabi, and captain Paige Cronin. Head Coach Jimmy Coenrats has expressed that getting key starters back onto the field and healthy will be key in turning the second half of the season around and securing wins.
The loss against Gotham FC marked Utah’s second loss of the second half of the 2026 NWSL season, following an impressive 10-match unbeaten streak prior to the international break. Unable to secure any points during the last two matches, the Royals will be determined to secure a win against Orlando. The match against the Pride will set the tone for the remainder of the season, proving the Royals have what it takes to be a winning team in front of a home crowd.
Historically, the Royals and the Pride have been equally matched, with Orlando having a slight edge in the meetings. URFC has notched 3 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses, scoring 9 goals and conceding 14 in its history against the club. The Pride enters the matchup with a season record of 6-2-6, 20 Points and is sitting 8th overall in the NWSL standings. Orlando has started its second half of the 2026 with a 2-0 loss to Angel City on July 3rd, and a recent dominating 3-0 win against KC Current on July 10th. Led by Head Coach Seb Hines, the Pride will be looking to extend the lead in its history of matchups against the Royals, and take 3 points back home.
After beginning the 2026 campaign with consecutive losses, Utah responded with a 10-match unbeaten streak. Now, after dropping its first two matches of the second half of the season, the club will look to spark another turnaround.
Sunday’s matchup pits two teams searching for momentum. Orlando is looking to earn its second victory of the second half, while Utah aims to recapture the form that fueled its success during the first half of the season.
WATCH LIVE on ION with Jill Loyden and JP Dellacamera :: Utah Royals FC vs Orlando Pride | America First Field | 6:45 p.m. MT
LISTEN via KSL Sports Radio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) starting at 6:15 p.m. MT
Following Saturday’s match, Utah Royals FC will travel to WakeMed Soccer Park to take on the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, July 25th with kickoff set for 5:45 p.m. MT on ION.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.rsl.com ’
