Philadelphia is notorious for the intense, die hard following of local sports teams. Philadelphians absolutely love sports, all of them, so when MLS was formed, it was a surprise to some that Philly was not going to be hosting a team.
That was not something local soccer fans were going to put up with long term. In fact, Philadelphia Union had a supporters club before it came into existence. This is one of the things that makes the Union unique: they are a club that was demanded by fans, not a club that went looking for fans after formation.
Far from being one of the league’s luxury brands, Philadelphia Union is a team as gritty and proud as the people who support it. They haven’t always been known for looking pretty while playing, but they have always been tough to play against thanks to a brutal defensive structure that has come to define them.
This is a club that is always working hard, but nothing ever comes easy for them, which is what makes the successes so much more special when they happen.
Club Statistics and Key Info
Date founded: February 28, 2008
First Game: Seattle Sounders 2–0 Philadelphia Union, March 25, 2010
Stadium: Subaru Park, Chester, Pennsylvania
Capacity: 18,500
Nicknames: The Union, The U, Zolos
Rivals: New York Red Bulls, D.C. United, New York City FC
Biggest Win: Philadelphia Union 7–0 D.C. United, July 8, 2022
Biggest Loss: Vancouver Whitecaps 7–0 Philadelphia Union, September 13, 2025
Player With Most Appearances: Alejandro Bedoya (324 and counting)
Top Goal Scorer: Dániel Gazdag (72 and counting)
Most Notable Players
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Andre Blake (2014–present) Faryd Mondragón (2011) |
| Defenders | Jakob Glesnes (2020–present) Kai Wagner (2019–present) Ray Gaddis (2012–2020) Mark McKenzie (2018–2020) |
| Midfielders | Alejandro Bedoya (2016–present) Dániel Gazdag (2021–2025) Brenden Aaronson (2019–2020) Tranquillo Barnetta (2015–2016) Maurice Edu (2014–2016) |
| Forwards | Sébastien Le Toux (2010–2011, 2013–2016) Julián Carranza (2022–2024) |
Trophies Won
| Trophy | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| Supporters’ Shield | 2020, 2025 |
Sons Of Ben: A Club Willed Into Existence
The Philadelphia Union story begins with the Sons of Ben.
Formed in 2007, before the club itself had even been created, Sons of Ben were a supporters group that kind of embodied the bid for a Major League Soccer club in Philadelphia. They thought their city was too big, historic, and sport hungry to be left out of the top flight soccer league in North America.
Sons of Ben gave the Union an instant authenticity and credibility that most other clubs could only dream of. Where most expansion clubs spent years cultivating a fanbase, Philadelphia Union had one waiting for them, complete with songs, culture, and expectations.
There is something poetic about a football club that was created because a fanbase willed it into existence. This supporter first origin story still shapes how the club are perceived from the outside too. A club with a chip on their shoulder demanding to be noticed, not asking politely if they can join in but hammering on the door and refusing to accept no for an answer.
The Badge: The Snake and the Union
Philly also have one of the more interesting club badges in MLS.
The reason their crest is so distinctive is because it really means something. The Union are not a club scrabbling to create an identity – they have identity in spades. Plus, it includes a snake.
Philadelphia was actually the first capital of the United States. It’s where Benjamin Franklin et al. signed the declaration of independence, and the constitution. Benjamin Franklin of course being the man who arrived as a penniless 17 year old runaway, and basically achieved the American dream, becoming a Founding Father and making the city his home.
At that time, Franklin came up with the ‘Join, Or Die’ cartoon, aimed at uniting the country against a common enemy. This is why the Union’s badge includes a snake, giving the club a historical context. Similarly, the Sons of Ben are so called because of Franklin.
The Union part of the name harks back to a similar time, when the 13 Colonies broke away from British control. The navy blue and gold colours carry revolutionary symbolism. Again, this club is all about pride and independence.
This is proper stars and stripes stuff, and the badge carries an unusual depth of meaning for a modern sports team.
Jim Curtin: Emotional Moments On The Pitch
For all their fight and passion, trophies have not come easy to Philadelphia Union.
They played their inaugural season in 2010, starting with a 0-2 loss away to the Seattle Sounders. They had plenty of memorable players in those early years, but struggled for a footballing identity to match their identity off the pitch.
The first two head coaches, Piotr Nowak and John Hackworth, lasted roughly two years each. The club only managed one playoff appearance in 4 seasons.
And then, in 2014, Jim Curtin was hired.
A local boy, Jim Curtin would fit right in at the Union, spending more than a decade at the helm. Although it took a while for success to follow.
Jim struggled to get the team into the playoffs too, but he did guide his players to the final of the US Open Cup in his first and second year in charge. The team lost both finals.
These were the first of many painful nights for Philly fans, who watched their team get so close to lifting silverware, only to have the moment snatched away from them. The same thing happened again in 2018, that trophy cabinet just refused to open, but by 2019, things were changing.
Curtin had developed a style of play that his players were comfortable with and that opposition teams found tricky to overcome. They now had one of the clearest football identities in MLS.
Compact, aggressive, vertical, and deeply unpleasant to play against, Philadelphia Union pressed hard, defended with discipline, and attacked quickly making their opponents feel rushed.
Was it beautiful football? No. Was it effective? Heck yes.
Winning The Supporters’ Shield
In 2020, Philadelphia Union would finally get their hands on a trophy. However, typically for them, it was not exactly the victory they had hoped for.
In 2020, the COVID pandemic forced Major League Soccer to abandon the season after just two games, then launched MLS Is Back later in the year. It was a very convoluted system but still resulted in trophies being won.
Philadelphia Union had the fewest goals conceded by a long shot, as evidence of their solid defensive structure, and also scored more goals than anyone else. They won the Supporters’ Shield, but for many MLS fans, it was not seen as a real win.
The season had been so disjointed, some teams had been withdrawn or played fewer games, clubs did not play at their own stadiums during MLS Is Back – it was all a bit of a mess.
So Philly had won, but not won at the same time.
Then in 2022, they set a record for the fewest goals conceded in a season, allowing just 26 goals past their now notorious defence. They finished top of the conference, tied top of the Supporters’ Shield standings, but just missed out on another trophy due to LAFC getting more of their points from wins. Then they made it all the way to the MLS Cup Final, drew 3-3, and lost on penalties. To LAFC. Another crushing blow to a club now well used to having their hearts broken.
Jim Curtin left the club in 2024, to be replaced by Bradley Carnell, and just a year later in 2025, Philadelphia Union finally won a trophy that no one could argue with.
They won the Supporters’ Shield by a single point, but it was theirs. Hard fought, long awaited, and unquestionably deserved.