Antoine Griezmann is flying to Orlando to join MLS side Orlando City in the summer transfer window, according to several reports, and could debut in the team’s first match after the 2026 World Cup.
The 35-year-old French attacker left for Florida on Sunday, as first revealed by MARCA, with Atlético Madrid approving his trip to the United States to finalize a deal with the Lions that would see him join the club in July.
According to the report, the 2018 World Cup winner would be signed through the 2027–28 MLS season, which marks the first full campaign under the new calendar that aligns with Europe’s top leagues. MLS will begin switching to the new outlook in 2027 with a 14-game sprint season, running from February to May.
By joining Orlando, Griezmann will become the club’s most significant global superstar in a decade, with the team having launched featuring Ballon d’Or winner and Brazilian legend Kaká as its marquee attraction from 2014 to 2017.
While he will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement, he will not be able to play a match for Orlando until the opening of the MLS secondary transfer window on July 13. As such, the earliest he could debut for the club would be July 22 against Timo Werner’s San Jose Earthquakes, but he would not have a scheduled regular-season match against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.
Griezmann has played his entire club career in Spain’s La Liga for Atlético Madrid, Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona, making 792 appearances and scoring 298 goals. He has also posted 44 goals and 38 assists with France before retiring from international play in 2024.
Joining the Stars in MLS
Griezmann’s flight to the U.S. to set up his deal appears to be the critical stage in a long, drawn-out negotiation, which initially saw Orlando target his services for the winter transfer window before the Frenchman opted to stay with Atlético through the Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League title hunts.
The veteran attacker would join fellow 2018 World Cup winner Hugo Lloris in MLS, with the goalkeeper currently starring for LAFC.
At the same time, he would join the likes of Inter Miami’s Messi and Luis Suárez, Vancouver Whitecaps' Thomas Müller, LAFC’s Son Heung-min, Minnesota United’s James Rodríguez and San Jose’s Werner as high-profile global superstars in MLS.
Finally signing in Orlando, he also put an end to several rumors over the years that linked him to clubs including LAFC, the LA Galaxy, Inter Miami and CF Montréal.
By joining Orlando City, Griezmann steps into a rebuilding MLS club that is searching for its identity and future path after parting ways with longtime manager Óscar Pareja just three games into the 2026 season. After five games, the club sits 13th in the Eastern Conference with just a single win and four losses—including two 5–0 defeats in their last three games.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Antoine Griezmann ‘Agrees MLS Move’ After Transfer U-Turn, Potential Debut Date Revealed.
