As soccer fans from around the world tune into the FIFA Club World Cup this summer, Orlando has found itself squarely in the spotlight. For the first time in history, the international tournament has landed in the City Beautiful, with two opening-round matches hosted at Inter&Co Stadium.
It all began on June 17 with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns FC facing South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai. Despite an hour‑long weather delay before kickoff, Iqraam Rayners scored in the 36th minute to secure a 1‑0 victory for the Sundowns, their first-ever win at a Club World Cup. With the result, Mamelodi became the first African side to score at this tournament on U.S. soil. The Pretoria-based side also brought a boisterous supporters' section to the stadium, making the delay and the game itself much more enjoyable.
Two days later, on June 20, the Portuguese powerhouse SL Benfica took the field against New Zealand's Auckland City FC. After a full 45 minutes of scoreless soccer, a stoppage-time penalty converted by Argentina legend Ángel Di María sent As Águias into the locker room with a 1-0 lead. Then, as Florida summers tend to bring, another rain delay halted play. This one lasted over two hours before the game resumed. When it did, Benfica took over the game, scoring five goals in the second half, adding a second from Di María, two from Leandro Barreiro and one each from Renato Sanches and Vangelis Pavlidis.
In the aftermath, Auckland City’s Head Coach, Paul Posa, spoke about his team's experience at Inter&Co Stadium.
“Fantastic. Absolutely brilliant,” he said. “The facility is amazing, great crowd. I think it was a privilege for us to play Benfica, and I'm proud of the boys.”
Benfica's Head Coach Bruno Lage, who has coached in England with Wolverhampton in the past, added his thoughts on the grounds, comparing it to a stadium he's been to back in the UK.
“Very good,” Lage said. “When I was here yesterday, it reminded me of an English stadium, and one in particular, QPR's stadium (Loftus Road). But yes, it's very good, the facilities are very good, and we're happy to play here.”
Through the two games the stadium hosted, so too did they host people like FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was in attendance for the first match, as well as many FIFA executives and dignitaries from the clubs that played on the day.
"This is a really unique venue, and to be able to host international events, and these types of events is really special," Orlando City Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel Caesar Lopez said. "You realize the magnitude of our responsibility, but also the event as a whole that brought about this opportunity to be together with folks that have never been here before. You have one bite at the apple for making a first impression for the entire world, and I think we did that."
Having a multitude of different countries and their teams play at Inter&Co Stadium is an incredibly unique, yet almost expected experience for the City of Orlando, which will continue hosting games throughout the tournament over at Camping World Stadium. With the city being a tourist destination for the theme parks and beaches, having the chance to have the world visit Orlando for soccer is an opportunity for a new demographic to experience a new stadium, a new atmosphere and a new city.
"Orlando is such a special city," Lopez said. "We've got to take advantage of that fact and try to use this experience to help continue to build the future of soccer here in The City Beautiful."
