Union weaves Philly history into the design of its latest jersey ahead of the World Cup and America 250

Philadelphia is set to 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, in 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.

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 both 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.

» READ MORE: Check out the Inquirer's complete guide to the FIFA World Cup in Philly

This year, kits across Major League Soccer 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.

The kit, designed in partnership between the Union and Adidas, Major League Soccer’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.

» READ MORE: Union continue to bolster defense with signing of Colombian centerback Geiner Martínez

“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.”

“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.”

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 on Sunday the club will be at Dilworth Park from noon to 2 p.m.

The team’s retail location at Subaru Park will also be open this weekend, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

However, it appeared that fans had access to 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.

Staff writer Kerith Gabriel contributed to this article.

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