Inter Miami CF–Orlando City SC rivalry
Intrastate MLS rivalry known as the Florida Derby.
TheSoccerBoy · via Wikipedia: Inter Miami CF–Orlando City SC rivalry · CC BY 4.0
The Florida Derby is the name given to the rivalry between Major League Soccer’s two Florida clubs: Inter Miami and Orlando City. While MLS does not officially recognize it with a trophy, the teams compete as in-state rivals. Orlando City joined the league in 2015, five years before Inter Miami arrived in 2020, meaning Orlando waited until its sixth season to finally have a fellow Florida side to face in MLS. The derby’s name echoes an older rivalry between teams from Fort Lauderdale and the Tampa Bay area.
Before either current club existed, a different Florida Derby played out in MLS’s early years between the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion. The Mutiny were a charter member of the league, while Miami Fusion joined as an early expansion team. Both clubs folded due to the league’s financial struggles at the time.
The first meeting between Inter Miami and Orlando City took place on July 8, 2020, during the group stage of the one-off MLS is Back Tournament. Orlando won 2–1, with Juan Agudelo scoring the rivalry’s first goal before Chris Mueller and Nani turned the game around. The first three matches were played without fans because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first game with a limited crowd was Inter Miami’s 2–1 win over Orlando on October 24, 2020.
On May 25, 2022, the teams met in a knockout match for the first time, in the round of 16 of the U.S. Open Cup. After a 1–1 draw, Orlando won 5–3 on penalties. Orlando went on to win the tournament, becoming only the second Florida club to lift the U.S. Open Cup (after the St. Petersburg Kickers in 1989) and the first in this rivalry to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League the following year.
They faced off in elimination again during the round of 32 of the 2023 Leagues Cup. Newly signed Argentine superstar Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to a 3–1 win. Inter Miami went on to win the tournament, beating Nashville SC 10–9 on penalties in the final on August 19, 2023, becoming the first MLS club to do so. On August 27, 2025, the clubs met once more in the Leagues Cup, this time in the semifinals of the 2025 edition. The score was again 3–1 for Inter Miami, but Inter Miami lost the final 3–0 to Seattle Sounders FC.
Quick Facts
- Other Names
- Florida Derby, Florida Clásico, El Clásico del Sol, Tropic Thunder
- Location
- Florida
- First Meeting
- July 8, 2020 / MLS is Back Tournament / ORL 2–1 MIA
- Latest Meeting
- May 2, 2026 / MLS regular season / MIA 3–4 ORL
- Total Meetings
- 20
- Most Wins
- Orlando City (8)
- Top Scorer
- Lionel Messi (9)
- Most Player Appearances
- Robin Jansson (16)
- Largest Victory
- MIA 5–0 ORL / MLS regular season / (March 2, 2024)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The first ever match between the two teams was played on July 8, 2020 during the group stage of the one-off MLS is Back Tournament. The game ended as a 2–1 for Orlando City, with Inter Miami's Juan Agudelo scoring the first ever goal of the rivalry. Orlando City turned around the game with goals from Chris Mueller and Nani. The first three matchups were played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first game that saw a limited number of fans back in stadiums was Inter Miami's 2–1 triumph over Orlando City on October 24, 2020.
On May 25, 2022, the clubs played each other in a knockout match for the first time in the round of 16 of the 2022 U.S. Open Cup, where Orlando City won 5–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. Orlando City went on to win the tournament, becoming only the second Floridian club to win the U.S. Open Cup behind the St. Petersburg Kickers in 1989, and the first in the rivalry to participate in the CONCACAF Champions League the following year. The clubs faced each other in elimination again in the round of 32 of the 2023 Leagues Cup; newly-signed Argentine superstar Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to a 3–1 win over Orlando City, and Inter Miami went on to win the tournament after defeating Nashville SC 10–9 on penalties in the final on August 19, 2023, becoming the first MLS club to win the competition. On August 27, 2025, the clubs faced each other once more in the Leagues Cup semifinals, where the score ended the exact same 3–1 for Inter Miami; however, Inter Miami ended up losing 3–0 in the final against Seattle Sounders FC.
Reader's Guide
The Inter Miami–Orlando City rivalry, known as the Florida Derby, represents the modern iteration of a long-standing intrastate soccer competition in Florida. Prior to these clubs' entries into MLS, a separate rivalry existed between the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion during the early years of the league; both teams dissolved due to financial troubles. The current rivalry began in 2020 and quickly developed competitive stakes, with both clubs meeting in knockout tournaments. Orlando City's 2022 U.S. Open Cup victory marked the first time a club from this rivalry participated in the CONCACAF Champions League. Inter Miami's 2023 Leagues Cup triumph, led by Lionel Messi, made them the first MLS club to win that competition. The rivalry has produced notable individual performances, with Robin Jansson holding the record for most appearances in the derby and Lionel Messi the top goalscorer with nine goals. The fixture continues to be a significant marker of Florida's soccer identity within MLS.
Did You Know?
- The first ever goal of the rivalry was scored by Inter Miami's Juan Agudelo on July 8, 2020.
- Orlando City won the 2022 U.S. Open Cup, becoming only the second Floridian club to win the tournament after the St. Petersburg Kickers in 1989.
- Lionel Messi is the top goalscorer in the rivalry with nine goals.
- Robin Jansson is the player with the most appearances in the derby.
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