HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, July 24, 2026) – Utah Royals FC (8-3-4, 27 pts) travel to First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park to take on the North Carolina Courage (6-3-5, 21 pts) on Saturday, July 25th with kickoff set for 5:45 p.m. MT. Riding a recent home victory, the Club will be looking to secure three more points to bring back home.
The Royals are fresh off a 1-0 win at home against Orlando Pride, its first ever victory against the club in its history of matchups. The match also marked the Royals’ first win since returning from international break, snapping its back-to-back loss streak against the Chicago Stars and Gotham FC.
The Royals found a return to form during the match, with Coach Jimmy Coenraets stating in a press conference following the match that “this is probably the closest we've been in the past three games to us being us.” The Royals began the match with intensity, maintaining possession and creating opportunities on goal. That aggression was rewarded when in the 36th minute, Narumi took a shot from the top of the 18, blasting the ball into the right side of the net with a left-footed shot, giving Utah a 1-0 lead over the Pride, that Orlando was never able to recover from. Narumi’s goal marked her second for the 2026 NWSL campaign, with her first taking place against the Seattle Reign FC in a 3-0 win in April.
The Royals did not let up in the second half, holding the line, with Mandy McGlynn making crucial saves to maintain the Royals’ lead. The effort earned the goalkeeper her fourth, and the Royals sixth, clean sheet of the 2026 campaign.
Throughout the match, URFC’s backline was cohesive, maintaining impeccable chemistry as multiple players made key contributions to defensive play, including defender Tatumn Milazzo preventing Orlando’s Barbra Banda from finding the net. Banda currently leads the NWSL with 12 goals and is a key playmaker for the Pride’s attack, however the Royals backline kept her at bay, retaining the Royals’ advantage until the final whistle blew with the Royals’ up 1-0.
The win over Orlando snapped the Royals’ two-game loss streak, mirroring the way the club started its first half of the 2026 season. The game also gave Utah its first win over Orlando since returning as a franchise in 2024, with the Pride previously never conceding a win to Utah in its previous matchups. The victory also gives the Royals three more points as they strive to climb the NWSL overall standings, and provides confidence as they seek out another success in North Carolina.
The Royals and the Courage have a long history dating back to the Club’s first iteration, with the Courage often dominating, however, since returning as a franchise in 2024, the rivalry has been tighter. The Royals have seen 1 win, 2 draws, and 2 losses in previous meetups in 2024 and 2025. With a balanced rivalry, the match outcome could go to anyone.
The Courage are coming off of subsequent losses with a 2-0 defeat against Seattle Reign on July 11th and a 3-0 loss against Bay FC on July 18th. The Courage enter the matchup against the Royals with a season record of 6-3-5, 21 pts, sitting at 8th overall in the NWSL standings. Led by Head Coach Mak Lind, who is in his inaugural season with the Courage, will be seeking to help the club bounce back from their back-to-back losses and secure a win at home.
Saturday’s matchup will be a true test in the history between the Royals and the Courage, a tight rivalry giving both clubs something to fight for. In addition, with the Royals coming off its first win since returning from international break, URFC has a chance to prove they have what it takes to continue winning and bring another three points home.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
WATCH LIVE on ION with Maura Sheridan and Marion Crowder :: Utah Royals FC vs North Carolina Courage* | First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccerpark | \5:45 p.m. MT
OR
LISTEN via KSL Sports Radio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) starting at 5:15 p.m. MT
Following its match against North Carolina, the Royals will return home to host Washington Spirit at America First Field on Wednesday, July 29 with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. MT. Tickets are available for purchase at RSL.com.
