The 2026 season started with the kind of pace that had people looking back at 2018. Through 19 games, Orange County SC sat on 34 points, matching the best start in club history. A nine-game unbeaten run in league play, the longest in team history, carried that early momentum and put the County Boys at the top of the Western Conference for long stretches of the first half of the year.
That stretch included the kind of results that define a season: a 2–0 win over San Antonio FC at home, a 4–2 road win at Miami FC, and steady contributions from Yaniv Bazini, who led the team with double-digit goals. The attack had rhythm, the defense was organized, and the results followed.
Player development was a consistent thread throughout the year. Tyson Espy logged more than 1,000 minutes across all competitions and continued his growth from academy product to reliable first-team contributor. Ryan Doghman became the club’s all-time leader in appearances, starts, and minutes. Tom Brewitt reached his 100th USL Championship appearance, and Kevin Partida crossed 10,000 career USL Championship minutes. These milestones reflected both continuity and the value of players who have been through the full arc of a season with the club.
The youth pathway produced clear milestones as well. In July’s USL Cup match against Colorado Springs Switchbacks, Orange County fielded the youngest starting lineup in club history (average age 20.0) and set a club record with five professional debuts in a single match. Joaquin Castro, Finn O’Brien, Matthew Miranda, and Liam Zubak all made their first professional starts that night, while Jerome Carter Jr. also debuted. Additional first-team opportunities went to Apolo Marinch, Jamir Johnson, and Paul Ngoie, among others. These were not token appearances; they were meaningful minutes in competitive matches.
Off the field, the growth was visible in the stands. The club expanded Championship Soccer Stadium heading into the season, adding capacity and new seating options after strong demand the previous year. On May 23, a match relocated to Santa Ana Stadium (Eddie West Field) while the U.S. Men’s National Team used the Great Park drew a club-record crowd of 7,651. The home finale against Phoenix Rising sold out. Season memberships and ticket sales reflected a fan base that has grown with the club and continued to show up.
The second half of the season tested that early promise. Results became uneven, and the club entered the final weeks still in the mix for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. A late push kept the door open longer than many expected, but a 2–1 loss at San Antonio FC on the final day closed it. Orange County finished 10–10–9 with 39 points, ninth in the conference.
The season will be remembered for that 2018-level start, the nine-game unbeaten run, the volume of meaningful minutes given to young players, the individual milestones, and the crowds that filled both Championship Soccer Stadium and Eddie West Field. The postseason stayed just out of reach, but the foundation built in 2026 is clear.