There’s more to soccer culture than the professional game, which is why we’ve put together guides for each of MLS’ 19 markets. Whether you’re just dropping in on vacation or hitting the road with your fellow supporters, here’s the lowdown on what to do and how to do it.
SOCCER CULTURE
Soccer culture in Orlando is surprisingly well entrenched and ardent for a city that is home to a club just four years old. The team and fans have embraced each other with a zealous fervor from day one, but that may not be too unexpected given the city’s demographic. The average age of the city is only 34, and a strong immigrant element from Latin America and Europe provides readymade soccer passion. The Lions also draw from throughout Central Florida, making for a large catchment area that actually threatens to eclipse the city’s other major pro franchise, the NBA’s Orlando Magic.
WHERE TO PLAY
There are pickup games of varying seriousness and intensity throughout Metro West, but the main soccer hub is provided by XL Soccer World just northwest of downtown. It boasts two full-scale indoor six-a-side fields on the latest synthetic turf and an outdoor field for pickup games ($10/person) as well as adult, youth and co-ed leagues. More importantly, it also features The Sideline Pub, with 12 high-definition TVs showing soccer from around the world, including early opening for Saturday and Sunday EPL games, as well as everything MLS.
LOCAL CUISINE
Metro Orlando boasts more than 4,000 restaurants, so you’re never short of choice. Almost every chain you can think of is here, along with an array of upscale options. The Orlando Ale House chain is a great choice for sporting atmosphere (and killer Chicken Zingers), while Wreckers sports bar in the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee has a quality conscious menu – and the biggest TV screen east of Dallas at 25-feet tall. Need something quieter? Try the Yard House on International Drive (right in front of the 400-foot Orlando Eye); the menu is wide-ranging, and there are 130 beers on tap.
Honorable mentions (all downtown): Ceviche (Spanish-style tapas), Kres Chophouse (supper-club-type steakhouse), award-winning gastro pub The Rusty Spoon.
SOCCER BARS
Yes, there are plenty, and not just downtown (although that’s your best bet). City fans gather first and foremost at Harry Buffalo on Church Street, which is en route to the Citrus Bowl (and OCSC’s under-construction new stadium). It boasts a great soccer vibe on game days and is a main staging post for fans heading to the game.
Other notable downtown watering holes on game days are Elixir Bar Room, with its lively party atmosphere and craft beers (beware the daily drink specials), and Wall Street Plaza, seven different bar-style venues packed along one short street that is Party Central every night of the week, doubly so at weekends.
North of downtown, in the Ivanhoe district, look for The Hammered Lamb, which features a memorable weekend brunch. Johnny’s Fillin’ Station is well worth sampling south of downtown for its late-night vibe (open until 2 am).
The full on Irish flavor of Liam Fitzpatrick’s in Lake Mary is the closest soccer bar to Orlando’s training complex and The Sideline Pub inside XL Soccer World features a genuine pub style.
Want something different? Dewey’s Golf & Sports Grill has golf simulators, Vegas-style sports watching and a highly soccer-friendly vibe on game days.
WHERE TO VISIT
Oh, come on, surely everyone knows why people visit Orlando. It’s the home of all 47 square miles of Walt Disney World with four theme parks, two water parks, golf, watersports and its Downtown Disney district (you’d need a month to see it all), plus the equally engaging theme park resort of Universal Orlando, which is packing them in with its Wizarding World of Harry Potter (new in 2014).
The other can’t-miss attraction is the ride-and-show maritime extravaganza of SeaWorld, which actually features two of the best coasters in Florida, Kraken and Manta.
Honorable mentions: Orlando is packed with smaller-scale attractions, many along the International Drive corridor, such as the new (on May 4) Orlando Eye observation wheel, Madame Tussauds Orlando and SEALIFE Aquarium. These are grouped together as I-Drive 360, with shops, bars and restaurants. Not-so-obvious – great fun for the more adventurous is iFly Orlando, an indoor wind tunnel that mimics sky diving and the recently-opened I-Drive NASCAR for some fantastic indoor kart racing.
MATCHDAY
The fan atmosphere here promises to be unique and dynamic, with a high-energy tailgate party at the Citrus Bowl centred on the main groups (all fans are welcome), and then the signature March into the stadium behind The Wall, a massed formation of supporters led by drums, percussion, trumpets and other assembled musical instruments. The Ruckus then unveil their tifo for each game 15 minutes prior to kickoff.
MATCHDAY TIPS:
- Be inside the stadium at least 20 minutes early to see the massed ranks of the Latin-influenced Ruckus arrive with great fanfare in their position behind the south goal.
- There are various tailgate parties around the stadium, while part of the build-up focus is also on the bars of Church Street in downtown Orlando a little more than a mile away.
- The newly rebuilt (in 2014) Citrus Bowl features big improvements in food and drink, with the Rio Grande Tex-Mex offering some of the best meal options and the Tangerine Tap the best beer.
