The reigning Supporters’ Shield champions have had a rough go to start their 2026 MLS campaign. A 1-0 loss at DC United to open the season was followed by a tough 2-1 home loss to NYCFC. Philly conceded late to New York to lose out on their first point of the season in their home opener. Philly sits in 10th place after its first two losses, and many are beginning to ask: Is the sky falling for this club?
It’s true, the start to the 2026 MLS campaign has been less than ideal. The Union has been torn in two directions with Concacaf Champions Cup (CCC) play and the start of their MLS campaign, and the results have been opposite. 12 goals for and zero against over two matches against Trinidadian side Defence Force FC have Philly on to the CCC Round of 16 to face Mexican side Club America. One goal scored from a PK and three conceded from open play in MLS.
So, is there cause for concern for Union fans right now? Is this team in for a long year; is it “one of those seasons”? That was a phrase uttered by a multitude of fans in the River End at the home opener against NYCFC, and, of course, there was plenty of discourse on social media about the team's lack of goals and results through the first two games.
While there are very legitimate concerns about this squad, now is not the time to panic about the Philadelphia Union. It’s so easy to see the results and play from the first games, and get caught up in recency bias; however, the history of this club suggests they will figure things out and get into the thick of things in the Eastern Conference.
Sometimes fans need to take a breath and look at why things haven’t gone their way, especially early in a season. There’s a great breathing technique usually used in yoga to regulate the body: you breathe in for four counts and out for eight counts. Repeating this a few times, while coupled with a mindfulness mantra to center oneself, can help to create a state of homeostasis.
For Union fans right now, we should do that exercise with some mindfulness mantras about the team early in this 2026 season.
So far this season, we have seen that the Union roster is incomplete and lacks the quality fans are used to seeing in the team. That will happen when you transfer out two MLS best XI defenders, your leading goal scorer, and the trusted gun who comes off the bench.
Of the players who have departed, it’s clear that Philly misses Kaitlyn Wagner the most. His width and chance creation were how the Union built from the back, creating attacking moments. His “replacement,” Philippe Nidinga, was just signed and will hopefully make his debut with the team soon. Until then, the club will have to rely on homegrown players and players playing out of position to create the width needed for attacks.
On top of that, the rest of the new players are still settling in. We’ve seen promise from most of them in the first four games. Alladoh and Martinez both scored in CCC play, and Anello has shown his ability to combine in the attack, and Sery Larson has been tenacious in central defense in MLS play. Get Ndinga involved and give the team more time to gel on the pitch. Goals, points, and wins should follow.
Well, that was certainly a long four-second inhale; now it’s time for an even longer eight-second exhale.
Fans always have the right to feel annoyed when their team doesn’t start its season well; however, in this case, many Union fans should consider it in the context of the poor MLS start. The team received two red cards in a one-goal match. If they didn’t, they could likely push for a point in the DC game and hold a point vs NYCFC.
Red cards change games, and that was definitely the case for Philly. In matchday one, being down their top striker for the final half hour when down a goal is not ideal when pushing for an equalizer. Likewise, losing your top center back in the first minute of the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time greatly reduces the chances of holding on to points. If both of those reds don’t happen, the Union could be sitting on two points in MLS and in the thick of the early-season Eastern Conference standings.
That is something to consider as well; only the New York Red Bulls have taken six points from the first two match days. Nashville and NYCFC sit in second and third with four points; Chicago, Cincinnati, DC, and Miami round out the top seven, all with one win. Columbus and Charlotte sit in the wild card spots, each with one point. That’s the standings ahead of the Union so far. This team is now far away from being in the thick of things.
Did you exhale all of the air out of your lungs? I hope you did. Now take a big inhale back in for four, and repeat the mantras as you exhale for eight. It’s not time to panic… yet…
As the Union moves into its March schedule, the CCC fixture congestion continues, with midweek games against Club America in the second and third weeks. On top of that, Philly has three league games, two at home vs San Jose and Chicago, and one on the road at Atlanta.
Right now is not the time to panic, but if the Union goes winless in MLS through their first five matches, the sky might actually be falling. Couple that with crashing out against Club America, and Philly will have some major troubles. But let’s see how the team gels over the next five March games before we go too far down that rabbit hole.
