Philadelphia Union

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Philadelphia's path to MLS began after decades without a top-level league, following the collapse of the NASL in 1984. While the Philadelphia Atoms won the Soccer Bowl in 1973 and goalkeeper Bob Rigby became the first soccer player on the cover of Sports Illustrated, the city waited until 2008 for an MLS franchise. Early efforts to place a team in Trenton or at Rowan University failed due to territorial rights and funding issues. The breakthrough came in 2008 when Keystone Sports & Entertainment secured a $47 million package from Delaware County politicians and Governor Ed Rendell to build Subaru Park. The Sons of Ben supporter group, formed in 2007, proved an established fanbase existed. After the Union's inaugural season ended with a 7th-place Eastern Conference finish (8-15-7), they turned things around under Piotr Nowak in 2011, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time with an 11-8-15 record.

In Their Own Story

The club's early years were defined by dramatic turns. In their inaugural 2010 season, Sébastien Le Toux scored the first goal in a home opener win over D.C. United and later netted the Union's first Subaru Park goal against Seattle Sounders FC. The 2011 season saw a complete turnaround under Nowak, highlighted by a stellar start where they won four of their first six games before falling to Houston Dynamo in the playoffs. By 2012, the team hosted the MLS All-Star Game at PPL Park (now Subaru Park), defeating Chelsea F.C. 3-2. The club also reached the 2014 U.S. Open Cup final for the first time. Under Jim Curtin, who took charge in 2014, the Union returned to the Open Cup final in 2015 against Sporting Kansas City.

Reader's Guide

Fans should know that Subaru Park is located in Chester, Pennsylvania, not Philadelphia proper. The club's history includes a unique affiliation with Reading United AC (formerly Reading Rage), rebranded in 2010 as the official minor league affiliate. In the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, the Union selected Danny Mwanga as the number one pick, alongside Amobi Okugo and Jack McInerney. The club made significant international moves early on, such as signing Colombian goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón in 2011 after his time at 1. FC Köln, and forming a partnership with Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa in 2012. In 2014, they traded Jack McInerney to Montreal Impact for Andrew Wenger. The team also acquired key players like Alejandro Bedoya in the summer of 2016. Ownership includes NBA star Kevin Durant as a minority owner, adding to the club's profile.

Did You Know?

• Philadelphia goalkeeper Bob Rigby was the first soccer player to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated after the Atoms won the 1973 Soccer Bowl.
• All 12,000 season ticket packages for the Union's inaugural 2010 season were sold before their first home opener at Subaru Park.
• The Union secured their second Supporters' Shield in 2025, marking a high point after finishing as runners-up in three U.S. Open Cups and one MLS Cup final.
• In 2011, the Union qualified for the playoffs for the first time, finishing 3rd in the Eastern Conference with an 11-8-15 record.
• Kevin Durant serves as a minority owner of the Philadelphia Union alongside majority owner Jay Sugarman.