Match preview: Seattle Reign vs. Orlando Pride

On Sunday, Seattle Reign travels to Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando to play the club's final regular-season match of 2025. The NWSL "Decision Day" match against the Orlando Pride kicks off at 2 p.m. PT and will stream on NWSL+.

The Reign have already secured a playoff spot, but the result will determine whether they host a playoff match or head on the road next weekend. A win will guarantee the Reign a round-one home playoff match, while they'll need a little bit of luck if they draw or lose.

They'll have to get past a tough Orlando Pride squad sitting one point above them in the league table. While the Pride struggled toward the middle of the season — going winless in nine straight matches and losing their top goal-scorer, Barbra Banda, to a season-ending injury — they've found their stride in recent matches, relying on being defensively sound and really hard-working.

"I think they've just become even more hardworking and quite industrious," Reign head coach Laura Harvey said about the Pride's recent successes. "I think they've had to adapt to not having Banda, she's so unique, such a unique talent that I'm sure it took them a little bit of time to work out what they were going to look like without her. And they seem to have worked that out over the last month or so and got some really good results. And again, they don't give up too much right now. They've gone back to that sort of hard-to-beat mentality, where they don't give too much away to teams. They don't concede many goals, don't concede many opportunities. We know we're going in for a tough game, but we also know what's at stake for us. And the thought of being able to get back on a plane and go back to Seattle and be able to have a home playoff, I'm not sure there's much more motivation that I need to do to get the players to want it right now. It's all about going and executing what we need to do tomorrow."

Head-to-Head

• The Reign are 7-5-7 all-time against Orlando; that includes a 2-3-4 record on the road against the Pride.
• The Reign played well in their April home match against Orlando but lost 1-0 on a Barbra Banda goal.

2025 and recent results

• The Reign and Pride sit 1 point apart, with Orlando (11-8-6) at 39 points and the Reign at 38 points (10-7-8).
• The Reign have scored 31 goals and conceded 28. Orlando has scored 32 and conceded 26.
• The Pride are 3-1-1 in their last five games, while the Reign are 2-1-2.
• In their last match, the Reign earned a 2-1 win at home over Utah, while the Pride beat the Washington Spirit 3-2 on the road.
• The Reign are 4-4-4 on the road, while the Pride are 5-4-3 at home.

Offseason and midseason moves

• The Pride made limited moves in the offseason after a successful 2024.
• Forward Adriana joined a club in Saudi Arabia while several rotational players departed or retired.
• The Pride signed Wake Forest graduate and Canadian defender Zara Chavoshi and USC forward Simone Jackson.
• Before the summer window closed, the Pride added Mexican forward/midfielder Jacquie Ovalle, paying a world-record transfer fee for women's soccer at $1.5 million. 
• Former Reign forward Elyse Bennett also joined the Pride on a short-term contract.

Orlando players to watch

Haley McCutcheon: Midfielder Haley McCutcheon has three goals and four assists. She is one of the most versatile players in the league, sometimes being asked to play fullback. McCutcheon makes late runs into the box, is a threat on set pieces, and has a nonstop engine that is hard to contain. It will likely be a battle in the midfield, and McCutcheon will play a big part in it.

Marta: The 39-year-old Brazilian forward still has it. Marta and Pride newcomer Jacquie Ovalle are the two creative engines for the Pride — bringing the flair to their team. Marta knows where to find space, can slip a pass to her teammate, and can dribble around defenders with ease. She has four goals, three of them from penalties, and earned one assist this year. She also leads the team in chances created (37), big chances created (5), and expected assists (3.6). The Reign can't give her time on the ball without pressure.

Emily Sams: Fresh off a U.S. women's national team call-up, Sams will return to her centerback position for the Pride. Earlier in the year, Pride head coach Seb Hines tried her at right back, and it didn't really work. Now back in her more natural role, Sams has been a lockdown defender. She leads Orlando in possession, and the Pride have conceded five goals in their last five matches with her anchoring the backline alongside Rafaelle.

What to watch

Possession battle: The Pride have the fourth-highest possession rate in the league, averaging 53.1% this season compared to 45.1% for the Reign. They complete the third most passes per match as well, completing 335 per game compared to 280 for the Reign. While anything can happen in an NWSL match, these numbers will likely look similar for the final regular-season match of the year. The Reign will want to defend with numbers and look to win the ball in the midfield and strike in transition. They have the tools to do this. Seattle has won possession 538 times in the midfield, third highest in the league, and has three fastbreak goals this season (per American Soccer Analysis).

Stopping crosses: The Pride attempt the most crosses in the league and also average the most corner kicks per game. They like to use their width — pushing their fullbacks high to overlap with their wing players, or sending balls over the top to their speedy wingers (the Pride lead the league in completed long balls). The Reign are going to need to put some pressure on the ball higher up the field to prevent those long balls and also defend well in the box. And they'll need to stay tightly marked on set pieces and corner kicks well, as the Pride have five set-piece goals this year (per American Soccer Analysis).

Momentum: The NWSL playoffs start in a week, and any momentum is welcome heading into that first-round match. The Reign have struggled to dominate a match for 90 minutes, and it's going to be tough to do that against a tough Pride side who seem to be finding their form. But if the Reign can stay in control for most of the match — and take advantage in front of the goal — it will give them some momentum heading into the playoffs.

Both sides will be looking to gain that control following a week off from NWSL play. The Reign had 12 players called up for their senior and youth national teams, which could lead to some rotation in the starting lineup. The Pride had six.

Injury / Availability Report

Seattle Reign

OUT: Lynn Biyendolo (maternity leave), Veronica Latsko (SEI – lower leg), Cassie Miller (D45 – leg), Olivia Van der Jagt (excused absence)

Orlando Pride

OUT: Barbra Banda (SEI – hip), Kylie Nadaner (excused absence), Oihane (ankle), Simone Charley (head)

How to watch

The Reign face the Pride on Sunday, November 2, at 2 p.m. PT. The match will air on NWSL+.