Everything you need to know about the Union ahead of the 2026 season
From offseason newcomers to this year's competitions to how to watch all of it, here's a breakdown of what to expect before the Union's season gets underway.
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:
Which Union players left this offseason?
The Union moved on from many of the club’s most recognizable faces from last season this winter. They sold Tai Baribo, last year’s leading goal scorer, to D.C. United for $4 million in December. After six seasons playing center-back for the club, Jakob Glesnes was traded to the Los Angeles Galaxy for $2.2 million in general allocation money.
Kai Wagner, who spent seven seasons with the Union, was moved to Birmingham City in the English Championship. The Union also moved on from Mikael Uhre, who returned to his native Denmark to play for FC Midtjylland.
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 Union also brought over Japhet Sery Larsen from the Norwegian club Brann in January. At 25, the Danish national is the oldest center back on the Union’s roster entering the 2026 season. Other significant additions include Geiner Martinez, a center back whom the Union signed from Uruguay’s CA Juventud, and Agustín Anello, a forward who spent last season with Uruguay’s Boston River.
Which players did the Union bring back?
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.
In addition, the team re-signed Ben Bender, a 24-year old midfielder the team signed off waivers in May 2025, and George Marks, a goalkeeper who has yet to appear in a game for the Union.
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.
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.
“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.”
This season will also be the first for the Union’s new mobile app. The club debuted the app in September, but will have increased functionality this season as SeatGeek takes over as the Union’s official ticketing partner.
What is the Concacaf Champions Cup?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What else is new with the Union?
The team got new home jerseys ahead of this season. The design is inspired by Philadelphia’s role in American independence ahead of this summer’s America 250 celebrations. The team will still wear the voltage kit it debuted as its away jersey in 2025 on the road.