Orlando City SC announced Tuesday that it has entered into an affiliation with Clube Atletico Paranaense of the Brazilian Serie A, giving the Lions another partnership agreement with one of the world's major clubs. Orlando City already have agreements with Benfica of Portugal and Stoke City of the English Premier League.
As part of the agreement with Atletico Paranaense, Orlando City will host the Brazilian side in a friendly match in 2017, and the Lions will travel to Brazil to play a friendly against CAP in 2018.
“We are proud of partnering with Atletico Paranaense, a club with more than 90 years of history,” Orlando City founder and president Phil Rawlins (pictured above) said in announcing the deal. “In addition to their success on the pitch, they possess a vast knowledge on the process of developing a successful academy and running a top-notch training facility.”
Paranaense, who have 23 state championships to their name and won the Serie A title in 2001, were also the 2005 runner-up in the Copa Libertadores, South America's most prestigious club tournament.
