Philadelphia Union will return to play with a road game against Charlotte FC, the club announced on April 3. The match is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on Apple TV.
The team is seeking its first points of the Major League Soccer season following a two-week pause due to the March international break. During this period, players and staff focused on training and preparation after starting the season with five losses in as many games. Head Coach Bradley Carnell said, “There’s been a lot of reflection, a lot of meetings, a lot of chatting, a lot of executing on the training ground, and a lot of competition.”
Carnell also described how the team held an internal scrimmage during the break: “Last week, I think the league had an international window, but the boys were grinding it out. Over the weekend, we had an internal scrimmage against each other, which worked really, really well, and I was grateful for that. The boys invested a lot.” He added that preparations have shifted fully toward facing Charlotte FC.
Some Union players spent time with their national teams during the break. Three-time Goalkeeper of the Year and vice captain Andre Blake represented Jamaica in World Cup qualifying but will return to Philadelphia after his team’s defeat by DR Congo. Carnell said that while “the team is ‘gutted’ for Blake,” he assured his coach he was “‘ready’ for what’s to come on the MLS stage.”
Charlotte FC currently holds fourth place in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference standings after defeating New York Red Bulls 6-1 at home in their last match. Carnell commented about Charlotte’s squad: “I think they have a savvy group that pulls…the emotions one way, and tries to dictate play another way…and that’s where our discipline has to be.”
Philadelphia Union has yet to secure an away win against Charlotte since they joined Major League Soccer in 2022; previous trips resulted in two draws. Carnell believes traveling together may help focus his squad: “It gets a group traveling…All 20 players have to be dialed in and locked in very tough environments…I believe pressure—it’s a privilege…We want to be in tough games.” He concluded by saying: “Going away is sometimes an easier objective because it’s us against the world.”
Philadelphia Union features professional players competing as part of Major League Soccer according to its official website. The club achieved recognition by winning Major League Soccer’s Supporters’ Shield for best regular-season performance in 2020 according to its official website. Its facilities include Subaru Park—a soccer-specific stadium located on Chester’s waterfront—alongside dedicated training areas according to its official website.
The organization operates as Philadelphia’s representative soccer team within elite competition while supporting fan engagement initiatives and youth programs according to its official website. In addition to fielding competitive matches with ticket sales available for supporters according to its official website, Philadelphia Union functions within professional sports as part of Major League Soccer according to its official website.
