The Philadelphia Union have returned to training,kicking off preparations for their 2026 season on Monday,January 12th in Chester.
Players reported for duty on Saturday,completing physicals and fitness testing before hitting the WSFS Bank Sportsplex for their first training session of the new year.
“It’s so much fun to be back – we were gone for a long time,” said 24-year-old defender Nathan Harriel.“We try to stay in contact when we’re at home or on vacation, but it’s good to actually be back with everybody on the field and in the building.”
The team looks different following offseason transfers and the arrival of new players, including a club-record signing. This group is a change from the one that ended the 2025 season with a second-round exit in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs on November 25th.
20-year-old Ghanaian midfielder, Kwesi, joined the team on Monday and participated in his first training session after signing on December 3rd.
For veterans like Harriel, one of the most tenured players alongside Andre blake, Alejandro Bedoya, and Olivier Mbaizo, Monday’s session was typical – a fast-paced, competitive 90 minutes with a few new faces.
Indiana Vassilev, who signed with the Union from St. Louis City in February 2025, returned with energy after signing a new deal during the holidays. this is his first preseason with the club,and he instantly asked Harriel about the intensity of the new squad.
“Day 1 is always competitive.Everyone wants to get back out there, and everyone’s running a thousand miles an hour,” Harriel told Vassilev. “But it’s just good to get back on the grass. The competitive nature is still there – even the new guys and younger kids, working hard, tackling.That’s what we have to do.”
Monday marked the start of 37 days of preparation before their first competitive match against Defense Force in Trinidad and Tobago on February 18th, opening their Concacaf Champions Cup campaign.
The team’s opening week includes training, meetings, and Media Day, followed by a flight to Spain for their second annual international training camp on Saturday.
First day of training in 2026!
