Sporting KC Sign Israeli Center Back Or Blorian

About a month ago it was a rumor, and now it’s a done deal. Sporting Kansas City announced the signing of center back Or Blorian on Friday morning. It is a pre-contract signing, meaning he isn’t available immediately but will finish out the season with his current club, Hapoel Be’er Sheva, and join on June 2nd.

That will come during the break for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Sporting KC return to action on July 16th against rivals St. Louis City SC, so presumably he’ll have plenty of time to train with the team once they find someone to train after giving up Compass Minerals National Performance Center to Argentina and Swope Soccer Village to England.

Sporting KC officially don’t have a practice facility at this time.

#SportingKC's playing the long game being "base camp of the world." SKC still don't have somewhere to train during the World Cup, but with the hope of selling lots of players on one day playing for KC.https://t.co/OrYPuQv5M3 pic.twitter.com/F2zQiyKGMb

— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) February 20, 2026

The Details

Blorian signed a contract through the 2028-29 season with options for two additional seasons through 2030-31. That’s essentially a three-and-a-half-year deal with the 2027 mini season before the switch to the Fall through Spring schedule.

Or is in his prime at just 25-years-old and has spent his entire career in Israel up to this point. He’s already made 186 appearances and will instantly be the most experienced central defender on Sporting KC, with everyone else currently under contract in their second season outside of recent signing Ethan Bartlow who has 80 appearances, by far the most on the team.

Blorian is the first player out of Israel to join Sporting KC since Gadi Kinda who unfortunately passed away last season and was honored by SKC at a game last summer.

Who is Or Blorian?

The 6’2, 25-year-old center back holds Israeli and Portuguese citizenship. As such, he has elected to represent Israel internationally. So far, he has played extensively in their youth National Team setup and has four caps for the full National Team. Before coming to Hapoel Be’er Sheva he played for Hapoel Tel Aviv on loan, and he arrived permanently from Hapoel Petach-Tikva FC in the fall of 2022.

He has two goals and four assists this season. For his career, he has seven goals and seven assists.

But he’s not brought here primarily for his offense. It’s the help and experience in defense this team is in great need of.

“We are excited to welcome Or to Kansas City,” President of Soccer Operations & General Manager David Lee said. “Or has demonstrated a deep desire to join us in Kansas City and fits the profile of central defender that we have been looking for with excellent physical traits and a good balance between his qualities with and without the ball. Or is having an outstanding season at the club level as he enters the peak years of his career and deservedly earned national team recognition. While we had hoped to bring Or to KC during this window, we understand the club’s desire to keep such an important player while they challenge to win their league title, and we will support both Or and the club as they strive to achieve their objectives.”

This signing is the first since David Lee told the media last week, he hopes to make three to six signings before the transfer window closes. The primary window is open until March 26.