As we do every year to start a Union season, here’s a player-by-player look at the team’s roster.
The list at each position is in order of what looks to be the depth chart heading into the campaign, which starts Wednesday in the Concacaf Champions Cup at Defence Force FC of Trinidad & Tobago (6 p.m., FS2, TUDN). The regular-season opener follows on Saturday at D.C. United (7:30 p.m., Apple TV).
Andre Blake has won MLS’s goalkeeper of the year award three times.
Andrew Rick
He showed again last year that he’s a safe pair of hands as the backup, and he’s still only 20 years old. The question will be if he’s willing to wait longer than Matt Freese did — understandably — to get more playing time. If he is, his time will come, but Blake isn’t going anywhere yet.
George Marks in action for the Union’s reserve team last year.
Left back
A player who hasn’t been signed yet
There’s no other way to put it right now. The Union are shopping for a new starter, and are close to sealing a deal for that player to be 20-year-old Philippe Ndinga from Swedish club Degerfors. But as Yogi Berra might say if he was a soccer fan, it’s not official until it’s official.
Jon Scheer, the Union’s head of academy and professional development, has been the face of the front office this winter with Ernst Tanner on leave.
Frankie Westfield
Until Ndinga settles in, Westfield is likely to do the job. The rise of the Northeast Philadelphia native last year was one of the season’s great stories.
Frankie Westfield was one of the Union’s breakout players last year.
Right back
Nathan Harriel
He has definitely earned the starting job, even though his attacking contributions are still limited. Once Ndinga gets going, Harriel might start platooning with Westfield to play in certain matchups.
Nathan Harriel played 31 games last year, often stepping in at centerback when the Union were short there.
Olivier Mbaizo
He’s highly regarded in the locker room, especially as part of the unofficial welcoming committee for new players who come from abroad. But that doesn’t guarantee playing time, and it’s tough to tell how much he’ll get this year.
Olivier Mbaizo is going into his ninth season with the Union’s first team.
Centerback
Olwethu Makhanya
He hadn’t played a second for the first team at the start of last year, but Bradley Carnell trusted his fellow South African to step up. Now the 20-year-old is a stalwart, and importantly the only returning player in the centerback group. That, perhaps, makes his role even bigger.
Olwethu Makhanya was one of last year’s most impressive players.
Japhet Sery Larsen
The Union don’t often sign experienced players from abroad, preferring to find underrated names they can develop and sell. But they knew they needed a veteran to replace Jakob Glesnes, and the 25-year-old Denmark native fits the bill. Now, can he handle the physicality of MLS?
Japhet Sery Larsen is expected to have a big role on the Union’s back line this year.
Geiner Martínez
We haven’t seen much of the 23-year-old Colombian yet, but it’s a safe bet that we will in time. The Union have a busy schedule with the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, and compressed stretches of the regular season around the World Cup. Rotating centerbacks will be as important as ever.
Geiner Martinez during one of the Union’s preseason games.
Finn Sundstrom
A 19-year-old prospect who grew up with North Carolina FC of the second-tier USL Championship, Sundstrom is a name for the future, and likely will spend more time with the Union’s reserves than the first team this year.
Finn Sundstrom working out during a preseason practice.
Neil Pierre
The best centerback prospect in the Union’s academy pipeline is on loan to Denmark’s Lyngby, where the Union own a stake, through June. Hopefully he will be closer to ready for first-team minutes when he returns.
Neil Pierre (right) made his Union first-team debut last year.
Defensive midfielders
Jovan Lukić
Perhaps the best of last year’s signings, Lukić jumped effortlessly into the midfield engine room. His tackles and his talking can be a little too robust sometimes, but the total package has been great.
Jovan Lukić getting stuck during a game last summer.
Danley Jean Jacques
A great partner to Lukić, Jean Jacques is now set for a true star turn with Haiti at the World Cup. It can’t be said enough how special it will be if he plays in Philadelphia against Brazil this summer.
Danley Jean Jacques also had a strong season in the Union’s midfield last year.
Alejandro Bedoya
The longtime captain is in his 11th season in Chester, and third in a series of one-year contracts. The mental side of his game is as sharp as ever, but the clock is inevitably running on a body that will turn 39 in April.
His arrival in August was the turning point in the Union’s season. They likely would not have won the Supporters’ Shield without him. Carnell likes playing Iloski at forward sometimes, but the team as a whole is clearly better when he’s in midfield. That forces opposing defenses to open up.
Early on in his time in Chester, it looked like most of his contributions would come from industrious pressing. But over the course of last season, he blossomed into more, and finished last year with seven goals and four assists.
Indiana Vassilev (center) celebrates scoring a goal for the Union in August.
Quinn Sullivan
When he returns from a torn ACL in July, after the World Cup break, it will give the team a huge boost. He’s been greatly missed on the field, although he’s fortunately been able to stay a vibrant presence off it.
The Union greatly missed Quinn Sullivan (left) after his ACL injury in September, especially during the playoffs.
Cavan Sullivan
With two years to go until he leaves for Manchester City, the now-16-year-old is running out of time to make an impact on his hometown club. Or perhaps it’s better to say the club is running out of time for him to impact it. Will this be the year he breaks out?
Lots of people around the soccer world are waiting for Cavan Sullivan to truly break out on the field.
Jeremy Rafanello
The Delran native has become the unofficial closer for Union wins, but he isn’t likely to overtake the players ahead of him here. It also bears saying that time given to him is time that Cavan Sullivan could get instead.
Jeremy Rafanello (center) on the ball against Inter Miami last year.
Ben Bender
Carnell likes his willingness to sacrifice, which has led to testing the 24-year-old as an emergency left back. That doesn’t look likely to stand for the long term, but at least he has the manager’s respect.
It was easy to see his strengths in his first season here: size, speed, physicality. But in the stats that mattered most, he tallied only nine goals and one assist in 40 games. That has to change this year, especially with Tai Baribo and Mikael Uhre gone.
You can tell just from practices why the Union broke their transfer fee record to sign the 20-year-old Ghana native. He’s still raw, though, and Carnell has preached patience. Alas, only so much will be given if he doesn’t find the net.
The Union paid a team record $4.5 million to sign Ezekiel Alladoh.
Agustín Anello
He’s an intriguing signing: born in Florida to Argentine parents, raised in Spain, and a pro career in four countries by age 23. Even better, he played with Harriel and Damiani at some of his stops along the way. He projects as the No. 3 striker right now but should still see significant playing time.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Sometimes, you don’t have to hear Andre Blake speak to know what’s on his mind.
You can tell from looking at eyes that have seen more Union games than any other player. From hands that have stopped more shots than any goalkeeper should have to, and let more by than any goalkeeper would want to. From feet that have stood by nets across the United States, the continent, and beyond.
You also don’t have to be a Union fan or a Jamaica fan to share the question that resonates so deeply with the 35-year-old, as he begins his 13thseason with the only professional team of his career.
Why has Blake been denied, time and again, the privilege of reaching the twin peaks he so deeply craves: winning an MLS Cup with his club and qualifying for the World Cup with his country?
Andre Blake suffered an injury during last year’s playoff loss to New York City FC.
The soccer gods can be cruel, and they have forced Blake to suffer. Yes, he has won two Supporters’ Shield titles, but all of his playoff runs — and his U.S. Open Cup runs, Leagues Cup runs, and Concacaf Champions Cup runs — have ended in defeat, often heartbreak, and most often out of his control.
With Jamaica, the pain cuts especially deep right now. If the failures of past World Cup qualifying campaigns, Gold Cups, and Concacaf Nations Leagues weren’t hard enough, this moment seems almost unfair.
The Reggae Boyz entered the last night of qualifying needing a win at home over Curaçao. But they were held to a scoreless tie, with Blake stuck at the other end of the field from his misfiring teammates. Curaçao took the berth and sent Jamaica to next month’s intercontinental playoffs.
Up the hill and knocked back down, again and again.
Curaçao players celebrating in Jamaica’s stadium after qualifying for the World Cup at the Reggae Boyz’ expense.
‘We need silverware’
“I felt like we were so close again,” Blake said of the Union falling short last year. “We had it — had it where we wanted it to be. But that’s just soccer. Single-elimination games can go either way.”
“I really thought that last year would have been it, knowing that MLS Cup would have been in Philly, but it didn’t happen,” Blake said. “But we just use that as motivation, as experience for us to know that we were that close. And just use that to give us confidence to know that hopefully this year we can go one or two steps closer and win the whole thing.”
Will the stars finally align this year? That’s not how this works, in either Chester or Kingston, and Blake knows as well as anyone. But he’s ready to go once more.
Andre Blake has won two Supporters’ Shields with the Union, but nothing more so far.
“Pretty simple for me: My personal goal is to be better than I was last year,” he said. “That’s always my challenge, to be a better version of myself. And for the team, it’s always the same as well: We need silverware. And the ultimate one is the MLS Cup, so that’s got to be the goal.”
The present moment proves it again. With Jakob Glesnes, Kai Wagner, Mikael Uhre, and Tai Baribo gone, this Union team feels like the start of a new era. As captain, Blake must help set the tone as newcomers blend in with returnees.
“It feels new,” Blake said. “That’s the obvious [part]. But I’ve learned to control what I can control, which is my performance. And whoever is here, the goal is to get the best out of everybody.”
Andre Blake (left) working out at the start of the Union’s preseason.
For now, he continued, his aim is to “just focus on the positives, and positives are whoever is in this room. That’s what we have, and that’s what we have to work with and make the most of.”
‘Everybody starts at zero’
Considering Blake’s history of criticizing the Union for a lack of ambition, what he said next might please the highest-ups — especially as he goes into the last guaranteed year of his contract.
“It’s a new season, everybody starts at zero,” he said. “So I think it’s only fair to judge the season after the season, and not before the season. We have what we have right now, we’re going to do our best, and at the end of the year, we’ll evaluate and see how it was.”
This team doesn’t seem to have the firepower to beat MLS’s best — Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, Son Heung-Min’s Los Angeles FC, and Thomas Müller’s Vancouver Whitecaps — in the games that matter most. But it has made substantive moves to replace the players it cast off, signing center backs Japhet Sery Larsen and Geiner Martínez and forwards Ezekiel Alladoh and Agustín Anello.
The Union broke their transfer fee record to sign Ezekiel Alladoh.
Sery Larsen could be especially impactful for Blake because of his track record of leadership at past clubs.
“The most important thing coming into a new team is just the willingness to learn and to adapt, and to listen,” Blake said. “I think he came in with an open mind. He wants to learn, he’s willing to do the work.”
The new group must build chemistry fast. The MLS season starts at D.C. United on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV), and the overall campaign starts Wednesday in the Concacaf Champions Cup at Defence Force FC in Trinidad.
“The Champions Cup is always a different challenge,” Blake said. “Obviously, it’s a reward to be playing in that tournament. And yeah, the first game against Defence Force — for me, these days, there’s no easy game in soccer. You have to be ready to play, mentally and physically.”
If the Union win the two-game series against Defence Force as they should, the climb will get steep fast. Not only will they face Mexican superpower Club América next, but they’ll face playing nine games from Feb. 18-March 21.
The Union could face Club América in the Concacaf Champions Cup for the first time since the 2021 semifinals.
“Not looking past that game, but after that it gets pretty tough,” Blake said. “We’ll prepare accordingly, and we’ll approach every game in a professional manner.”
‘Very angry’ about Jamaica’s struggles
Now to the subject Blake rarely enjoys discussing, but he knows he must.
The intercontinental playoffs are five weeks from now. Jamaica will play New Caledonia in the semifinal, then the winner will play the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Both games will be at Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron, a World Cup venue this summer.
That task is not fully on Blake’s mind yet with so much to do before then. But it is still a presence, along with emotions from last fall that still simmer.
“It’s been very tough for me these last couple months,” Blake said. “When you kind of invest so much into something and it doesn’t go the way you want it to go, it can get you, and that’s just kind of the phase I’m in right now as it relates to the national team.”
The words came mixed with stretches of silence that were equally piercing.
“It’s just trying to still process what really happened,” Blake said. “But when the time is right, I’ll do whatever I have to do, and I’ll be ready to go again.”
He will play for the seventh manager of his national team tenure, Rudolph Speid, as famed veteran Steve McClaren resigned after the Curaçao game. The players have not changed, though, including big names like Leon Bailey and Michail Antonio.
It’s on them to deliver.
Jamaica has one last chance to qualify for this year’s World Cup, through FIFA’s intercontinental playoffs in March. Hockey great Wayne Gretzky was at the World Cup draw.
“I haven’t spoken to anyone [since] after we left camp, so I don’t know what the vibe [is],” Blake said. “I know I’m very angry. I can only speak for myself, because I feel like we had an opportunity — a big, big opportunity — and we let ourselves down as players, And yeah, that’s just how I feel. I feel like it should have never gone that way.”
He ran through a series of questions he asks himself about preparation, execution, effort, and controlling the controllable. They brought him back to a repeated answer.
“I just feel like as players we let ourselves down,” he said, “and that’s what made me so angry.”
The Reggae Boyz haven’t made a World Cup since 1998, and ending the drought in North America would be even sweeter. It cheers him up to know how many people are rooting for him in Philadelphia, across MLS, and worldwide.
Jamaica is looking for its first berth in the FIFA World Cup since the 1998 edition in France.
“I believe so,” he said. “At the end of the day I can still hold my head high. You can lose a game, you can not accomplish something, but it’s just how, if you give it your all — you did all you could, you left no stones unturned — and then you lose a game, then you can accept that, you know?”
It’s a message he takes home to a family that enjoys calling Philadelphia home, and that four months ago welcomed a third child — a first daughter.
“For me, whenever I go out there, I always try to make, my family, my fans, myself proud by leaving it all on the field,” he said. “So even if you don’t really accomplish what you want, it’s not going to feel good, but you can still be proud.”
At that point, two more questions remained. Will this finally be his year? And if not now, will it ever?
The Union are set to begin their 2026 season on Wednesday with a Concacaf Champions Cup match at Defence Force F.C. in Port of Spain, Trinidad (6 p.m., FS2).
Less than three months removed from their 2025 campaign, the team will look different from the squad that captured Major League Soccer’s Supporters’ Shield last season, and not just because the team has new home jerseys.
It was a busy offseason for Bradley Carnell’s side, which set a high standard for itself with last season’s campaign. Here’s everything you need to know about the Union before they open the season:
The Union also declined contract options for Chris Donovan, Isaiah LeFlore, Nicholas Pariano, and Oliver Semmle.
Who are the new players suiting up for the Union?
The Union made a few significant acquisitions in the transfer market this winter. The most expensive was the acquisition of Ezekiel Alladoh from Swedish club IF Brommapojkarna. The forward cost the Union $4.5 million, the most the club has ever spent on an individual transfer. Alladoh, 20, is a Ghanaian national who will be under contract with the Union through 2028, with club options in 2029 and 2030.
The arrival of Japhet Sery Larsen, seen during a preseason game in Spain last month, is expected to fill the loss of Jakob Glesnes on the Union’s back line.
Club captain Alejandro Bedoya re-signed with the Union this offseason. Bedoya, who also holds a role in the club’s front office, will suit up for his 11th season in Philadelphia.
The Union also exercised a contract option for Nathan Harriel, retaining the homegrown right back for his sixth season with the club.
What are the highlights of this year’s MLS schedule?
The Union will play a 34-match MLS schedule, starting with a match at D.C. United on Feb. 21. The Union will play each Eastern Conference opponent twice, home and away, and six Western Conference opponents.
Midfielder Danley Jean Jacques (right) and the Union open their Major League Soccer season against I-95 rival D.C. United on Feb. 21.
The Union’s first MLS game at home will be against New York City FC on March 1. NYCFC eliminated the Union from the playoffs last season with a 1-0 win at Subaru Park in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Carnell’s team will host the San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, and Real Salt Lake as Western Conference opponents and will travel to Austin FC, San Diego FC, and Sporting Kansas City. Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami team will visit Subaru Park on Aug. 19, and the Union will host rival Red Bull New York on July 22.
What’s new at Subaru Park this season?
The home of the Union got some upgrades in the offseason and will get another renovation when the MLS breaks for the World Cup this summer. The Union installed new theatric sport lighting in the stadium that will bring some extra flair to the club’s night games.
The Union have a new concessions partner in locally based Aramark, which will give patrons at Subaru Park new food and beverage options. Union president Tim McDermott said in an interview on the team’s YouTube channel that the concourses of Subaru Park will look different when the club returns after the World Cup.
Union president Tim McDermott said that the team plans to make alterations to the concourses at Subaru Park during the nearly two-month break for the FIFA World Cup.
“Coming out of that World Cup break, when you walk into Subaru Park, the concourse is going to look massively different,” McDermott said. “Just with new food and beverage offerings, the esthetics, et cetera.”
In addition to the 34 regular-season MLS games the Union will have on their calendar, they also will compete in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
The competition is a 27-team tournament that features the top club teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The Union qualified for the Champions Cup by finishing atop the MLS regular-season standings. The other MLS qualifiers for the tournament are Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC, FC Cincinnati, LA Galaxy, the Seattle Sounders, Nashville SC, and San Diego FC.
Winning MLS’s Supporters’ Shield last season earned the Union a berth in this year’s Concacaf Champions Cup.
The Union will face Defence Force FC in a two-match series decided on aggregate score in the first round of the tournament. After their match in Trinidad, the Union will host Defence Force for the second leg on Feb. 26.
If the Union advance past Defence Force FC, they will face Liga MX’s Club América in the round of 16. The tournament final will be played on May 30.
The Union’s most recent result in the Champions Cup was a round of 16 loss to Pachuca in 2024.
Will the Union be in the Leagues Cup?
Yes. By qualifying for the playoffs last season, the Union secured a spot in MLS’s Leagues Cup, which features 18 teams from MLS and 18 teams from Liga MX.
The Union do not know their opponent in the competition or the date of their first match, but the competition is set to begin on Aug. 4. The 2026 Leagues Cup final will be on Sept. 6.
The Union’s best result in the Leagues Cup was a third-place finish in 2023. The top three teams from the Leagues Cup gain entry to the following season’s Concacaf Champions Cup.
Midfielder Jesús Bueno (right) and the Union will appear in MLS’s Leagues Cup tournament for the first time since the 2024 season.
Will the Union play in the 2026 U.S. Open Cup?
No. Because they are participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Union are exempt from playing in the U.S. Open Cup this season. The U.S. Open Cup is an open tournament featuring teams from across all levels of the U.S. Soccer.
The MLS limited its clubs’ participation in the tournament to 16 teams in 2025. Teams that do not qualify for other cup competitions are given priority in entering the U.S. Open Cup, and teams participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup are exempt. The Union reached the semifinal of last year’s tournament before losing to eventual champion Nashville SC, 3-1.
Will the MLS season pause for the World Cup?
Yes. This season’s MLS schedule includes a seven-week break for the FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The league will stop play on May 26 and resume on July 16. The World Cup will begin on June 11 and conclude on July 19.
Lincoln Financial Field is one of 16 host venues for this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
The Union will play their last match before the break at Miami’s new stadium, Miami Freedom Park, on May 24. They will host Red Bull New York in their first match after the break on July 22.
This will be the last season MLS uses its current calendar. The league is switching to a summer-to-spring schedule ahead of the 2027-28 season, which will align its schedule with many of the top leagues internationally.
How can I watch the Union?
The Union’s MLS games will be available to all Apple TV subscribers. Before this season, Apple TV users had to subscribe to the additional MLS Season Pass to gain access to all MLS games, but the league and its broadcast partner did away with the extra paywall in November.
Major League Soccer announced the suspension of its subscription-only MLS Season Pass, noting that every game will instead be televised by the regular version of Apple TV.
The Union also have three games that will be televised by Fox networks. The team’s match at Atlanta United on March 14 will be on Fox, as will the Union’s game at Inter Miami on May 24. The Union have one game this season being televised by Fox Sports 1, a clash with FC Cincinnati at Subaru Park on Sept. 9.
The Union had the opportunity to show off the club’s new WSFS Bank Sportsplex facility to teams from a wide range of nations last week, as it hosted the inaugural “Snow Bowl,” a tournament showcasing some of the world’s best youth academies.
Clubs from across Europe and North America were represented in the tournament, which included divisions for under-15, under-16, and under-18 teams. The tournament drew 10 major soccer clubs, including England’s Manchester United and Newcastle United, and Germany’s Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Jon Scheer, the Union’s director of academy and professional development, said the Union’s ability to draw in European clubs of this caliber speaks to the club’s global reputation. .
“To get Manchester United, PSV, Dortmund, some of the best European clubs, to come, I think it says something about the brand of the Philadelphia Union now,” Scheer said. “Certainly our facility was a big reason why they agreed to come, but also because of the level of competition that we brought in.”
The Union boasted two teams in the Feb. 14 final of the inaugural Snow Bowl tournament, showcasing some of the top youth academies from around the world at the WSFS Sportsplex.
The Union also invited the Netherlands’ PSV Eindhoven, Mexico’s Monterrey, Denmark’s Lyngby, Portugal’s Benfica, and Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire academies.
“We really wanted to target clubs that we felt would bring over academy-level talent that would really push ourselves,” Scheer said. “And they would, in turn, benefit from the opportunity for their players.”
The Generation Adidas Cup, which started as MLS’s top academy tournament in 2007 and expanded to include clubs from outside MLS in 2014, served as a common meeting place for many of the academies that attended this year’s Snow Bowl in Chester.
The Union’s U-17 team won the GA Cup in 2023 and 2024. PSV, Monterrey, and Manchester United have also competed in the tournament, hosted in the spring at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
“Through things like Aspire Conference and through our relationship with U.S. Soccer and success at the GA Cup level and success at the MLS level, I think that’s starting to make our reputation a bit stronger globally,” Scheer said.
The U-15s capped off their Snow Bowl campaign with a 1-0 win against the Chicago Fire!
While the Union’s reputation convinced teams to come, the WSFS Bank Sportsplex made hosting the tournament a possibility. Teams competed on the indoor turf field at the facility, which the club opened last July.
Scheer said the visiting clubs were surprised by the quality of the facility.
“When they came over here, they said this is truly a world-class facility,” Scheer said. “There’s nothing like this in Europe, from what they’ve talked about.”
Aloys Wijnker, the academy head at PSV Eindhoven, was particularly impressed with the Union’s campus. Wijnker, who worked for U.S. Soccer from 2016-18 before returning to his native Netherlands, remembered when the club’s first team, second team, and academy were spread apart. Now, the Union host all of their operations on the waterfront in Chester.
The Union’s under-16 and under-18 academy teams advanced to the finals of the inaugural Snow Bowl tournament.
“This is amazing,” Wijnker said. “We heard about the dome, but then you see, oh, what kind of dome is it? This is a real building with all the facilities inside, with the gym. I [haven’t seen] everything so far, but it’s impressive.”
For the Union, hosting the Snow Bowl not only allows academy players to play against high-level talent from Europe and North America, but it also allows the Union’s academy staff to compare notes on development with their counterparts from around the world.
“We have such a growth mindset and a passion for learning,” Scheer said. “We want to get better. We think we do a good job but we know we can get better. And if we can take one piece of information here or there, selfishly, by interacting with some of the best clubs in the world, we’re certainly going to be able to do that.”
Wijnker, who served as director of the U.S. Soccer Boys’ Development Academy for three years, said he was impressed with the Union’s focus on developing first-team players from their academy.
“I think they are on top in the U.S., top three with the academy,” Wijnker said. “They do a big investment with money, but also with resources, with the energy they put in. Also the whole philosophy in the club, not buying expensive players, they’ve really invested in the youth. If you ask me the question, I think that this is what every club should do.”
The club hopes to make the Snow Bowl an annual tradition. This year’s tournament was sponsored by The SWAG, a no-cost youth soccer organization philanthropically funded by members of the Union’s ownership group, and YSC Academy, the club’s school.
“We want to do a really good job this year, and hopefully have others, in addition to SWAG and YSC Academy, help sponsor the event,” Scheer said. “I do think it’ll be one of the best developmental opportunities our academy kids could have with the competition they’re facing.”
The Union’s U-15, U-16 and U-18 teams were unbeaten in the group stage of the tournament, picking up wins over Newcastle’s U-15 squad, Borussia Mönchengladbach’s U-16 team and Benfica’s U-18 team.
“We are probably further along, not only at the Union, but in our country, than we think we are sometimes, in terms of development and the game of football,” Scheer said. “[Other clubs] are not only commenting on our facility, but they’re commenting on some of the quality of our individual players, our success at the team level. Ultimately, that’s what it’s about.”
Last June, I was in my office at the Xfinity Mobile Arena when I saw sparks flying on Pattison Avenue. That’s not a metaphor. I saw literal sparks, plumes of red and black smoke, and heard a steady beat of drums. Thousands of people were marching toward Lincoln Financial Field, chanting, with all the gusto in the world, to a soccer match.
It was 10:30 a.m.
As a lifelong Philadelphian, I know our love of sports. I’ve witnessed my fair share of tailgates, and in the last three years, I’ve seen that devotion, up close and personal, in my role as governor of the Philadelphia Flyers. But as I stared out my office window and watched this parade of passion, I was struck by the extraordinary power and potential of the FIFA World Cup ’26 in Philadelphia this summer.
Since 2000, we have experienced some of the largest and most significant events ever to take place in our city, from the papal visit in 2015 to the Democratic National Convention the following year, to the 2017 NFL Draft. I’ve had the privilege of helping to lead many of these civic efforts and, no doubt, 2026 promises to be a game changer with America’s 250th anniversary, PGA Championship, ArtPhilly, and Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week.
Wydad AC fans cheer during the FIFA Club World Cup match in June against Manchester City FC at Lincoln Financial Field.
But what I learned last summer, as Moroccan fans flooded the stadium complex, was that soccer is the world’s love language. It unites sports, culture, and national pride. Fans live and breathe every minute from opening kick through stoppage time. There is no arriving late to a match, and there is no movement from one’s seat during it.
I’m frequently asked, “Are we ready for 2026?” The answer is yes, because Philadelphia hosts major international events so well. But what I’m not sure we are ready for is what a spectacular celebration the FIFA World Cup is.
I’m not sure we understand just how important this sport — and this tournament — is to the world. And I’m not sure we realize there is no host city more ready to embrace the fans who will come for this party than Philadelphia.
That’s what makes this so exciting for 2026 — and so important beyond this year.
FIFA chose Philadelphia to host six of the tournament’s 104 matches here, including a Round of 16 match on July 4. We have been asked to play host to soccer fans from around the globe, especially those who will root for Brazil, the Ivory Coast, Croatia, Curaçao, Ecuador, Haiti, France, Ghana, and a few yet-to-be-determined national teams.
It’s crucial we recognize that among the many reasons Philadelphia was selected by FIFA was our authentic passion for sports and our unabashed pride for this place we call home.
The match pennant is held by Stefan Lainer of FC Salzburg as he walks out prior to a FIFA Club World Cup match in June against Real Madrid CF at Lincoln Financial Field.
We know Philadelphia can shine on the world stage. We know that hundreds of thousands of visitors will walk our streets, dine in our restaurants, and experience our neighborhoods. The global media will spotlight our skyline and highlight our stories. Investment will flow into tourism and community development. But to unlock the economic, cultural, and civic potential of the FIFA World Cup, and of 2026, we need one important thing.
We need you to be here. We need every Philadelphian to help us welcome the world.
So, how can you do that?
Come to the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill, which will be free to enter during the tournament. And don’t just come once!
Adopt a rooting interest among the teams coming here, in addition to our U.S. men’s national team.
When visitors ask where to eat (and they will!), give them your best hidden neighborhood gem.
Paulinho of Palmeiras scores his team’s first goal past John of Botafogo during a FIFA Club World Cup at Lincoln Financial Field in June.
If someone asks what they absolutely must do or see when here, tell them your favorite experience, whether it’s in arts and culture, history, culinary, or even shopping.
And when you’re asked to take a picture at the top of the “Rocky Steps,” happily do it!
What makes Philadelphia special is its people. It’s why we won our bid in 2022, and it’s why this year has the potential to be a launchpad for Philadelphia as a global destination. This summer, the eyes of the world will be on us, and we want them to see the best of who we are: welcoming, inclusive, fun, proud, and united.
But to show that, we need you to be here. We need you to be part of the action. And we need you to help us make history together.
Daniel J. Hilferty is the chairman and CEO of Comcast Spectacor and governor of the Philadelphia Flyers. He has served as cochair of Philadelphia Soccer 2026 since 2021, alongside Michelle Singer.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Head out the third base stands of the Phillies’ spring training stadium, go south a block, and you’ll start to hear another ball being knocked around.
The Union have once again made their preseason home here, too, as they prepare to kick off their campaign next week in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
They wrapped up a five-game slate Tuesday night with a 4-2 loss to CF Montréal, an unusually fractious game that included several yellow cards and two reds — one to Montréal’s manager after watching a robust challenge in front of him.
But the result mattered less than getting to see new forward Agustín Anello’s first minutes, starting next to Ezekiel Alladoh and assisting Milan Iloski for a sharp goal. New centerback Geiner Martínez also got some run as a substitute next to Olwethu Makhanya.
How will all that translate to next Wednesday’s curtain-raiser, at Trinidad and Tobago’s Defence Force FC (6 p.m., FS2 and TUDN)?
“I think it starts off the field,” Union manager Bradley Carnell said Wednesday in a news conference. “When we all speak about recruitment, we speak about people first. And I think all of those guys you’ve just mentioned have come in and exceeded our expectations.”
Martínez and Anello are still settling in, having just arrived to the club in recent days, but have gained familiarity when possible: the former with fellow Spanish-speakers in the locker room, the latter from having already known Nathan Harriel and Bruno Damiani.
Alladoh has been around for longer, so there’s more evidence. He is going to be a handful physically for opponents, but the ultimate verdict will come from how often he scores.
“He’s just a bunch of energy,” Carnell said. “He’s a big dude who just wants to run and compete every single day, and we’re just trying to work little angles and details to get him on the score sheet. He had a couple of chances last night, and does really well for us in the [preseason] games in Spain, and we can see the threat he can be.”
The most important thing now is avoiding the injury bug, and unfortunately it has bitten the Union. Nothing too severe, but Indiana Vassilev and Eddy Davis were in street clothes Tuesday night, and Milan Iloski took a pretty good whack on the foul that produced the other red card. Carnell said he believes it’s a contusion, but there wasn’t a full diagnosis yet when he spoke.
Tuesday’s game was a reminder of the physicality in MLS, even in a preseason game. That has also been an adjustment for the newcomers.
“You don’t know until you know, right?” Carnell said. “I think a lot of people don’t know about MLS and the rigors and the physicality of it. Even [for] a player like ‘Jeff’ Larsen, who’s played at really high levels in the Europa League and everything, playing in this league is a different animal. … Last night was a real, I would say, testament to that statement.”
Geiner Martínez on the ball during Saturday’s preseason game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the second-tier USL Championship.
Bruno Damiani has also been absent for the last few days: He’s back in his native Uruguay getting a U.S. green card. Carnell said the striker’s return to camp is “imminent.”
The biggest open question mark remains at left back. The Union are still shopping and don’t have a deal done yet.
A source confirmed a report by Sweden’s Expressen that talks are ongoing for 20-year-old Philippe Ndinga of Swedish top flight club Degerfors. Various reports have said Los Angeles FC and the Houston Dynamo previously had interest.
Union’s franchise value
Sports business publication Sportico unveiled its latest judgment of MLS franchise values on Tuesday, and pegged the Union at $740 million. That’s a 6% increase from 2025, and 14th out of the league’s 30 teams — a ranking unchanged from last year.
The Union’s franchise value ranks in the middle of the pack in MLS.
It’s no surprise that Inter Miami is ranked No. 1, and not just because of Lionel Messi. The Herons will open a big-time new stadium this year in the shadow of Miami’s airport. But the valuation of $1.45 billion is still a headline, as it’s bigger than some baseball and hockey teams — including the Marlins across town.
Los Angeles FC, the Los Angeles Galaxy, Atlanta, and New York City FC also have franchise values above $1 billion. The top 10 is rounded out by Seattle, Austin, Columbus, Cincinnati, and San Diego, the last of which is valued at $765 million.
The highest the Union have ranked since Sportico began its estimates in 2021 is 11th in 2024.
Sportico’s metrics include not just revenue projections, but “the value of team-related businesses and real estate holdings.” That works in the Union’s favor, given how much land they own around Subaru Park and the training and academy complex they’ve built there.
MLS hasn’t always embraced outsiders’ valuations of its teams. But it does these days, and even promotes Sportico’s figures on some of its platforms.
As the clock ticks toward the World Cup, the buzz continues to grow around 19-year-old U.S. national team centerback prospect Noahkai Banks.
Though there’s no guarantee yet that he’ll make the tournament squad, the attention is warranted. He has played in 16 of the last 17 games for his club, FC Augsburg of Germany’s Bundesliga, and often has looked good on the field.
That puts Banks squarely on the list of names you’d want to know before the World Cup — and certainly before the U.S. team’s last auditions in March.
He knows it, as he said when he spoke with The Inquirer earlier in the season. This week brought another opportunity to get to know him, as the Bundesliga hosted a roundtable with Banks for U.S. media.
Noahkai Banks (rear) in action against Eintracht Frankfurt in a German Bundesliga game in December.
There was much to talk about, starting with his reflections on his one U.S. team camp so far last fall.
“I was pretty nervous when I got into camp because I was 18 years old at the moment,” said Banks, who turned 19 on Dec. 1. “So I thought maybe the older guys will think, ‘Who’s that,’ or ‘What is he doing here?’”
“For example, Tim Ream, the first day in training, he helped me a lot, because he plays in my position,” Banks said of the fellow centerback and frequent U.S. captain. “He has coached me a lot and helped me to get into the training and into the new tactics — because, obviously, it was a big jump. But also, the older guys also had dinner and they said, ‘Come sit at our table.’”
Little things like that are a great sign of the strong spirit in the American program.
“Players like [Christian] Pulisic, [Tim] Weah, they helped me a lot,” Banks said, naming two of the Americans’ biggest stars. Of others, he said, “How they welcomed me, how they made my life easy, was very cool, to be honest.”
It was no surprise that he praised manager Mauricio Pochettino, but how he did so was news.
“He has been a centerback back in the day [as a player], he knows the position very well, and he’s helped me with small details like positioning and stuff like this,” Banks said. “Just the small things, which make a difference at the highest level. He gave me some tips, and I hope I can do what he told me in the future.”
‘Happy with the U.S.’ and ‘grounded’ at home
National team staff has remained in touch with Banks since then, further raising the odds of a March call-up. But because he hasn’t formally committed to the senior U.S. team yet, the Hawaii native still can switch allegiance to Germany, where he has lived since age 10.
Noahkai Banks in action against German power Bayern Munich earlier this season.
“I’ve been in touch with Germany before, to be honest,” Banks said, but he “was always very happy with the U.S. You can’t tell what happens in the future, but at the moment, there’s not a thought of switching, or something like this, because I’m happy with the U.S.”
That happiness dates back to playing for various U.S. youth teams, including at the 2023 under-17 World Cup.
“One of the best experiences in my life,” he said. “And then also at [the] U-19 and U-20 level, I was always just very happy to get into camp to see my friends again, because we were a big class of friends. It was not like I [would] go to the national team and play football, it was like I meet my friends and play football with them.”
Banks does not lack for confidence, but he carries it well.
“To be honest, I was always very confident — I think I have that from my mom,” he said. “So I always believed in myself, and I always believed I can play in the Bundesliga. But I think, also, confidence grows and builds itself up with time and with games.”
Those games have earned the trust of Augsburg’s coaching staff, a feat made harder by two managerial changes since last summer. The club has been fighting all season to avoid relegation. It’s currently 13thin the 18-team league, but just three standings points into safety.
“It has been a great year so far, because I didn’t expect to play that much, to be absolutely honest with you,” Banks said. “But yeah, the coaches have given me a lot of trust, a lot of minutes. So [over] time, as I said before, I got more confident with the team, with my teammates, with the players, with the tactics.”
Family matters a lot to him, too. He is close with his mother, Nadine, whose own athletic genes earned her a shot at college basketball before repeated tears to her ACL derailed it. She moved Banks to Germany after separating from his father, settling in a Bavarian mountain town just over an hour from Augsburg.
“I think it’s easy to stay grounded because I have a great family behind me,” the son said. “And also the club doesn’t allow [otherwise] because my teammates are all very grounded and very humble. It’s like a big family here.”
Then he added a flourish that far-away Philadelphia would appreciate: “Also, my mom would kick my [butt] if I’m not grounded anymore, so there’s no chance of that.”
Nor is there a chance of Banks looking too far ahead — as in, to the World Cup — before Augsburg’s season is settled.
“As I said a lot of times before, I think it’s not the right moment to think about the World Cup for me, because we have a lot of games left here,” he said. “So, really, just focus. A lot of players say it, but I really mean it: I really just focus on the games we have here. And, yeah, then let’s see what happens in summer.”
The Union have added another major signing to what has already been a busy winter transfer window for the club.
The team announced Tuesday that it had acquired Agustín Anello, a 23-year old forward who spent last season with Uruguayan team Boston River.
The Union paid a transfer fee of around $2 million to acquire Anello, a source with knowledge of the deal told The Inquirer. He has been with the team at its preseason camp in Clearwater, Fla., for a few days, and could debut in Tuesday’s final preseason game against CF Montréal (6 p.m., livestreaming on the Union’s website and YouTube).
“Agustín is a versatile, dynamic attacker,” Union manager Bradley Carnell said in the team’s release. “His development in Europe, combined with his recent breakout in Uruguay, reflects a clear upward trajectory. As a domestic player with U.S. youth national team experience, he fits our profile well.”
The Athletic reported that the Union were in talks to sign Anello in January and reported that a deal was being finalized on Feb. 2. Anello let a poorly kept secret further out when he posted a picture from Clearwater on his Instagram story on Monday afternoon. The Union’s logo was visible on Anello’s shorts in the post.
Anello grew up in south Florida and moved with his family to Spain at age 10. He hasn’t lived in the United States since. At 17, he turned pro in Belgium, and played for a range of clubs there, in Croatia, and the Netherlands before moving to Uruguay in the summer of 2024.
Although it has been a long time since he last formally called America home, Anello is not a total stranger to the Union. In November 2023, he was teammates with Nathan Harriel and Jack McGlynn on a U.S. under-23 national team squad that surveyed candidates for the 2024 Olympics.
Anello scored 10 goals across all competitions for Boston River in 2025.
After their preseason finale, the Union’s next match will be a Concacaf Champions Cup game in Trinidad against Defence Force F.C. on Feb. 18.
The Union will open their MLS schedule with a trip to D.C. United on Feb. 21.
Philadelphia will play a starring role in this summer’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The Union will have a jersey fit for the party.
The club’s new home kit, unveiled Tuesday, is a navy blue jersey with an all-over pattern that features illustrations of some of Philly’s most recognizable landmarks and script from the Declaration of Independence.
Included in the pattern are illustrations of the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and even a portrait of Benjamin Franklin near the shoulder. A fragment of the Declaration of Independence, including the date of July 4, 1776, is printed just below the jersey’s collar, between the Adidas logo and the club’s crest.
“Being here in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the country, we just thought there was a really incredible opportunity to create something that represents the Philadelphia Union, that represents our city, and represents the country,” said Amanda Young Curtis, the Union’s senior vice president of marketing and communications. “This is, hopefully, a jersey that people think they can wear to a Union game, to a semiquincentennial celebration, or to a U.S. men’s national team game or watch party.”
The Union should have their first opportunity to play in their new uniform when the club hosts Trinidad’s Defence Force FC in the second leg of their first-round Concacaf Champions Cup matchup on Feb. 26. The Union’s MLS home opener is scheduled for March 1 against New York City FC.
Union midfielder Alejandro Bedoya showcases the new jersey for the season at the WSFS SportsPlex in Chester on Jan. 14.
The 1776 script also appears in the bottom corner of the jersey in gold. The jersey will be paired with dark blue shorts and socks to complete the Union’s home uniform.
The Union hope their bold new home kit can be a staple for this summer’s Independence Day festivities and fans at the FIFA World Cup, which will return to American soil for the first time since 1994.
This year, kits across MLS will feature a special nod to this summer’s World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. On jerseys for American teams, the team logo will feature a holographic star pattern. For the three Canadian clubs, the holographic pattern will be maple leaves.
Union forward Milan Iloski shows off the new kit ahead of the Union’s 2026 season, which features various historical Philadelphia landmarks.
The kit, designed in partnership between the Union and Adidas, MLS’s jersey provider, will replace the navy kit that the club debuted in 2024. The team’s away jersey, a light blue shirt that features a yellow lightning pattern, will continue to be used.
Milan Iloski had high praise for the creative team behind the jersey’s design, calling it “a beautiful kit.” The Union midfielder also pointed out the kit’s versatility for this summer’s slate of festivities.
“I think it’ll be a kit that can be worn anywhere,” Iloski said. “I mean, you could wear it to a game, you can wear it to a party, you could wear it anywhere. With the World Cup coming here in America and the 250th anniversary, it felt like the perfect opportunity to do a big kit, to do something different, and I think they nailed it.”
Alejandro Bedoya has played in a lot of Union jerseys over the span of his career. But he says this year’s kit is among the best he’s seen, calling it a “work of art.”
Union midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, who shows off the raised crest on the Union’s new home kit, described it as a “work of art.”
“As a player, you’re often told [to] play for the badge, play for the shirt,” he said. “There’s no better representation of what that actually means than putting it on this jersey. You’re literally rocking Philadelphia here, and the history, and everybody who’s come through here. … Now we have even more of a reason to go out there on the field and really rep our city proudly.”
The Union wanted the kit to tell a story while representing the history and culture of Philadelphia. Fortunately for the club, the timing of its release made it easy to determine what story should be told.
“In soccer culture, not just with the Union, the jersey represents way more than just the team,” Curtis said. “It tells a story. In a way, the story was pretty clear for 2026.”
A first look at the new kit for Union’s 2026 season features various historical Philadelphia landmarks and documents depicted in the jersey to represent club, city, and country.
The Union are scheduled to host a number of pop-up retail locations in Philadelphia this weekend for fans interested in buying the new kit. They will set up at the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Saturday’s pop-up is scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. at the Independence Visitor Center, and the club will be at Dilworth Park from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday.
The team’s retail location at Subaru Park also will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
However, it appeared that fans could purchase the jerseys over the weekend, as a fan noted that the kit was on the shelves at the Mount Laurel location of Dick’s Sporting Goods on Sunday. Repeated attempts for comment from both the store’s location and from Dick’s corporate office went unreturned.
The post and others like it caused a social media storm of reactions, mostly positive from fans and style aficionados trying to determine if the leak was the team’s new primary uniform or a special third kit.
Now they have their answer.
Inquirer staff writer Kerith Gabriel contributed to this article.
Nine nations will compete in five group stage matches this summer, plus two more in a knockout game on July 4. Here’s what you need to know about those countries and their fans — and what those fans need to know about Philly.
