Orlando City unveils safe standing section

MLS second-year side Orlando City SC continues to get everything right during the infantile stages of its development, this time with the construction of a safe standing section for supporters at its new downtown stadium.

The 25,000-seater Orlando City Stadium will play host to both the MLS side and the NWSL's Orlando Pride, and will now feature North America's only safe standing supporter area.

The once popular concept was banned in England in 1994 after a series of issues, not the least of which was the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 that saw 96 Liverpool supporters die at Sheffield Wednesday's home ground during an FA Cup semi-final match against Nottingham Forest.

Related: Premier League clubs step up safe standing talks

Twenty-two years after the ban, and some Premier League clubs are cautiously lobbying for the reintroduction of safe standing areas using the example of Glasgow giant Celtic. This season, the Hoops unveiled a 3,000-person section to rave reviews at Parkhead.

Orlando City SC moves into its new grounds in 2017, where a safe-standing section is paired with a low-profile canopy for enhanced atmosphere. The stadium also boasts an all-natural grass surface, a pitch sunken eight feet below ground level to offer spectacular views from street level, and a 360-degree lower bowl.