Philadelphia Union will resume their Concacaf Champions Cup campaign on Mar. 9 by hosting Club America for the first leg of the Round of 16 at Subaru Park. The match marks a significant test for the Union as they face one of Liga MX’s most successful teams.
The event is important as it brings together top clubs from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean in a continental tournament. Philadelphia Union is one of nine Major League Soccer teams competing this year after earning their spot by winning the 2025 Supporters’ Shield for best regular season record.
Head Coach Bradley Carnell said ahead of the match, “We want to go up against a really good team, and we are. We always want to challenge ourselves against the best, and we know what stature club America brings to the table.” He added, “I think you can see with the away fans, in terms of the crowd and what have you. So it’s an amazing opportunity for us to showcase what we’ve been working on, what we’ve been doing, and we felt we’ve been very competitive in all the games we’ve played.”
In their opening round, Philadelphia Union recorded two dominant wins over Defence Force F.C., achieving a 12-0 aggregate score. Nine different players scored during those matches, including Cavan Sullivan who netted his first two goals for the club. Club America advanced after defeating Olimpia with a win and a draw.
The Union’s roster features professional players on its main team according to the official website. The club previously achieved the Supporters’ Shield in 2020 for best regular-season performance according to the official website. Their facilities include Subaru Park—a soccer-specific stadium on Chester’s waterfront—along with training centers and practice fields according to the official website.
Philadelphia Union functions as a professional soccer team in Major League Soccer focused on representing their city while fostering fan involvement and community ties according to the official website. The club provides professional matches along with tickets and lineups for supporters according to the official website, operating within Major League Soccer’s professional sports sector according to the official website.
This appearance marks Philadelphia’s fourth time competing in Concacaf Champions Cup but their first under Coach Carnell. In previous tournaments, they reached as far as semifinals twice and exited at quarterfinals once.
