The Union Are Back: What is New So Far in 2026?

Soccer is back in Chester. With the Philadelphia Union returning to the pitch and the World Cup coming to Philadelphia this year, here is an overview of what lies ahead.

The Union had a bittersweet ending to 2025, with a miraculous Supporters’ Shield win after entering the season as potentially one of the worst teams in the MLS, followed by a heartbreaking loss to rivals NYCFC in the playoffs.

After 4 games, this season has been a tale of two teams in the games they have played. Against the Defense Force FC, the Union have won by a combined score of 12-0, and dominated their way into the next round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. In their MLS league games, they are 0-0-3, with just one goal scored and four conceded.

After the surprising 2025 season, the Union made major moves in the offseason, giving 2025 Coach of the Year Bradley Carnell a lot to deal with heading into 2026. The first of which was allowing long-time striker Mikael Uhre to leave as a free agent, losing a major piece off the bench. To add to this veteran loss, the Union sold 2022 Defender of the Year Jakob Glesnes to the LA Galaxy. Along with this came the most impactful loss for the Union, as they sold one of the greatest left-backs in MLS history, Kai Wagner, to Birmingham City of the English second tier. Lastly, leading goalscorer Tai Baribo was sold to rival DC United, capping an offseason in which the Union lost four major pieces of their squad.

However, with losses, there usually come some gains, and the Union had a few to potentially rebuild their squad. The first of which is a young Ghanaian striker, Ezekiel Alladoh, who has shown promise so far in the Champions Cup games, but unfortunately received a red card against DC United in the Union’s opening game, preventing him from showing off his ability in league play. After that, the Union signed Japhet Sery Larsen, a Danish center-back, to fill the role of Glesnes. Larsen was a proven defender in the Norwegian first tier of soccer and was seen as a top-tier defender during his time there. Next to him is a backup Colombian center-back in Geiner Martinez, from the Uruguayan first tier of soccer, who has shown flashes of skill and will receive a start next weekend due to Olwethu Makhanya‘s red card on Sunday. Lastly, came the signing of another player from the Uruguayan first tier, in Augustín Anello, an American left-winger. Overall, these signings likely will not have the same impact as the players they came to replace; however, they are all very young and promise to develop and become a problem for other MLS teams in the near future.

This Union squad is filled with depth. A few players stand out due to their media presence and impact on the field.

Quinn Sullivan, a 21-year-old central-attacking-midfielder, is currently recovering from a torn-ACL he sustained toward the end of 2025. Sullivan is slated to return during the summer and should have an immediate impact for the Union. With a few USMNT call-ups under his belt and winning the Union’s Player of the Year award, Sullivan is one of the key players on this squad. Although just 9 goals and assists in 28 games may not sound impressive, it is his impact and his explosiveness that immediately boost the Union’s performance, and his return will likely be met with open arms this summer. Finally, it is also important to recognize Sullivan’s performances as a Union player, as he has garnered attention from many European sides, and may not be in Philadelphia for long.

If you asked a Union fan who the closest savior to Spider-Man is on Earth right now, they would likely tell you it is Andre Blake. Blake has been the goalkeeper of the Union for over a decade now, and in that time, he has gathered three Goalkeeper of the Year awards in 2016, 2020, and 2022, the most in MLS history. With that, he also consistently starts for the Jamaican National Team, and could potentially be playing in this World Cup in June. Blake is entering the end of his illustrious career, at 35 years old, but he continues to control the team every game and wins games simply with his hands alone.

When the Union are in the news, it is likely due to the name Cavan Sullivan. Cavan, the brother of the previously mentioned Quinn, is just 16 years old, yet has made his name known around the world. Currently, Sullivan is the 5th most valuable soccer player in the world, born in 2009, according to transfermarkt.com, and is on track to play for Manchester City in 2028. In his young career, Sullivan has already scored and assisted for the Union multiple times, and has been called up to the USA U17 and the Manchester City U21 squads, both when he was just 15. Cavan has appeared in all four of the Union’s games so far, scoring 2 goals and 3 assists within those games. The future is bright for both Sullivan brothers, and they are both players to appreciate during the rest of their Union career.

In 2025, when mentioning the Union’s stellar defense, people tend to bring up Glesnes or Wagner, but one of the strongest pieces was the young South African center-back Makhanya. Makhanya is just 21 years old but plays like a seasoned veteran. With the defending ability of Glesnes and the composure of Sergio Busquets, Makhanya has shown nothing but promise as a future star in Philadelphia. Against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, Makhanya was forced to sit out due to his red card, though he will be available for the March 10 Champions Cup match against Club América.

There are many other key players on this Union squad, whom it would be inappropriate to just gloss over, such as Haitian center-defensive-midfielder Danley Jean Jacques, American center-attacking-midfielder Milan Iloski, Serbian center-midfielder Jovan Lukic, Uruguayan striker Bruno Damiani, American right-back Frankie Westfield, and American left-back Nathan Harriel.

This season, although shaky to start, will serve as a major test for these players’ young careers. With the starting lineup, excluding goalkeepers, holding an average age of just 22, the Union holds a lot of promise for the future, and in the end, that tends to be the team’s culture. With former prospects of Brenden Aaronson, Paxten Aaronson, Matt Freese, Mark McKenzie, and Jose Martinez, the Union are not shy to develop talent and create stars, and with this current squad, it is not unlikely that a few of these names could become known around Europe in 5 years.

Within the first 5 games, the Union have seen a massive drop in talent between domestic and international games. In the three MLS games so far, they have scored just one goal off a penalty against the four scored against them. On the other hand, they have outscored Defense Force FC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 by a score of 12-0. While this massive difference may come down to a skill gap in competition, there is something missing in the MLS games. With so much attacking talent leaving the squad during the offseason, it is not surprising that the Union have struggled to generate offense early in MLS play.

In their performances, it is clear that the Union are missing the offensive sparks they had in Sullivan and Wagner in 2025, along with the goalscoring of Baribo. The Union have just one goal scored against MLS teams this season, and if they want to avoid embarrassing themselves against Mexico’s biggest club in Club América, they need an immediate turn prior to March 10th.

Overall, the Union’s brand is developing and selling talent, and it is important to appreciate the talent before it becomes a memory, and see the squad as a list of potential future stars. With that being said, this season’s outlook may not be as pretty as seasons like 2022 or 2025, but it does hold a team of potential and promise, which will make it yet another memorable season in Philadelphia soccer history.

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