Martín Perelman steps in as interim head coach
Oscar Pareja was the kind of coach who never pointed fingers. When things went wrong, he stood at the podium and said it plainly — this was on him, the team would get back to work, and they would fix it. That accountability, rooted in his own years as a professional player, defined how he carried himself throughout his six seasons with Orlando City SC. On Wednesday, that chapter came to a close, as Pareja and the club mutually agreed to part ways.
The timing made it difficult for everyone. The Lions were 0-3 to start the 2026 season with a -8 goal differential, their worst opening in club history, and Pareja had only recently signed a contract extension through 2028. That commitment spoke to how much both sides believed in each other, which is exactly why the parting was described as mutual. Sometimes things just don't work out the way anyone planned.
Pareja leaves alongside assistant coach Diego Torres, who had been by his side since 2020. Martín Perelman steps in as interim head coach.
A source with Orlando City said the team will hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m. Thursday (today).
The 2025-26 offseason told much of the story before a single whistle blew this year. Compare the squad that closed out 2025 to the one Pareja had at his disposal this spring and you're looking at a very different group. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, who anchored the back line for years, moved on. Rodrigo Schlegel was transferred to Atlas in Liga MX. Alex Freeman — a homegrown product — was sold to Villarreal in Spain for a club-record fee. Ramiro Enrique also departed. César Araújo's contract expired and he moved on. Wilder Cartagena re-signed but picked up an injury and has been unavailable. Kyle Smith and Dagur Dan Thórhallsson were gone. Robin Jansson dealt with a knock that clouded his availability from the start. The veterans who gave this team its spine simply weren't there anymore.
In their place, a younger group of players has been asked to step in and carry the load — players who will prove themselves with time, but who are still finding their footing at this level. That transition is real, and it is painful in the short term. Orlando is in a rebuilding phase whether the front office uses that word or not, and that process rarely goes smoothly in the early stages.
Pareja gave this club its finest moment — the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the first major trophy in the club's MLS history — and six straight playoff appearances, a club record and the longest active streak in the league at the time of his departure. He will be missed at Inter&Co Stadium.
Now the page turns. This Saturday, Orlando hosts CF Montreal at Inter&Co Stadium under Perelman — the first time in over six years the Lions will take the field with a new voice in charge. For a fanbase that grew accustomed to Pareja's steady presence, it will be a different feeling. But the work of rebuilding starts now, and it starts this weekend.
