The Union’s new third jersey has been a rather poorlykeptsecret for a few weeks, but now it’s official.
An off-white shirt with a lot of vibrant trim, it pays tribute to the entire Philadelphia professional sports landscape. The centerpiece is the word “PHILLY” in block letters, in front of a depiction of the Center City skyline; the neck and sleeve cuffs have stripes in Flyers orange, Phillies red, Sixers blue, and Eagles green.
The Union’s snake logo sits where the crest usually goes on a jersey, and a lower corner of the shirt depicts that snake in front of a stylized Liberty Bell.
Alejandro Bedoya modeling the Philadelphia Union’s new third jersey.Major League Soccer
As with a lot of soccer apparel these days, it’s designed to be seen around town as much as at the stadium. And as with the Union’s 1776-themed main jersey for this year and next year — full of images of historic city landmarks — it might not be for everyone beyond the Philadelphia region.
But it should appeal to fans around here, especially casual followers looking to buy some Union merchandise. If they don’t all know that the snake on the crest spot has been part of the team’s logo for years, they certainly will understand a jersey with “PHILLY” front and center.
Union fans will also recognize the usual Bimbo Bakeries sponsorship logo, but this time it’s on the back side instead of the front. The necktag has a stylized version of the MLS logo from the league’s early years.
This is the first time since 2014 that the Union have had a third jersey. Back then, they had one of the most famous items in club history: a black shirt with white and red trim that paid tribute to the Bethlehem Steel dynasty of a century ago.
The Union’s Bethlehem Steel-inspired jerseys in the mid-2010s remain some of the most popular in team history.Drew Hallowell
MLS went away from third jerseys for a while, but resumed in 2024 with a rotation of a select number of teams each year. This time is finally the Union’s turn. (The one exception to the rotation is Inter Miami, which has gotten a third kit each year since 2024 to profit from Lionel Messi.)
The Union and Adidas, which makes all the jerseys leaguewide, also released a jacket in the same off-white color. It has the snake crest on the front and Philly logo on the back in the team’s traditional navy blue.
Both items are now available at MLS’s official online store, MLSStore.com, adidas.com, and at the Subaru Park shop. Expect to pay around $160 for the authentic version, $100 for the replica version, and $80 for children’s sizes.
The Union will wear the new jersey for the first time on Wednesday, when they host Messi’s Inter Miami in the highest-profile game of the regular season.
Alejandro Bedoya modeling the Union’s new third jersey and the accompanying jacket.Major League Soccer
Ryan Richter knew the odds when he stepped onto the podium at Subaru Park on Sunday night.
Though the Union still have a mathematical chance to advance to the Leagues Cup quarterfinals, it would take a blowout win over Santos Laguna on Thursday in Chester (7 p.m., Apple TV) and so many results by other teams that it’s barely worth thinking about.
“It will be a little different, that’s the reality,” he said after Sunday’s win over Necaxa.
But while the chance for a trophy has sailed down the Delaware River — the least important of the trophies the Union can win, as the low attendances have once again proved — that doesn’t mean the team has failed here. In fact, something quite important has happened.
Ryan Richter (left) embraces Cavan Sullivan after subbing Sullivan out of the Nexaca game, where the 16-year-old had a goal and an assist.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
For a young American player with dreams of representing the country on soccer’s biggest stages, there’s no experience like facing teams from other Concacaf nations early in your career. No amount of teaching in the Union academy’s classrooms can match learning by doing, and a slew of Union players have done it this summer.
“You see the physicality, and almost the cleverness,” Richter said. “The way that they are able to use their bodies, the way they’re able to position themselves. The physicality is just a little bit different, I would say, and the style of player.”
As an example, he cited “the way the striker, [when] the ball comes in [to] him, you’re getting the elbow early in your stomach to make the 2 yards of space for himself. It’s a very savvy way of playing.”
It’s also the sort of thing that makes new soccer fans recoil — until, of course, their own player does the same thing and benefits from it.
Frankie Westfield (right) going up for a header against Cruz Azul.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
‘That Concacaf feel’
Which Union players have gained the most from these two games? Cavan Sullivan tops the list. He was a force in both, and he knew exactly what he was getting into.
“It’s a different element than MLS, so it’s great experience,” said Sullivan, who was a U.S. stalwart at last year’s under-17 World Cup. “More of that Concacaf feel: that gritty, aggressive battle, games that are just battles. So I think it’s great for us, great for young guys.”
Quinn Sullivan has fit right back in during his first games back from the long injury absence. Obviously he has needed time to ramp up to full fitness, but he’s now showing he’s close.
Neil Pierre has continued a breakthrough summer at centerback that has left scouts across the sport raving. Spanish superpower Barcelona was reportedly already monitoring him before he returned to Chester from his loan to Denmark’s Lyngby, and you can be sure the line of suitors will keep growing.
Neil Pierre (left) battling Cruz Azul’s Agustín Palavecino.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Andrew Rick has built upon his priceless experience with the U.S. World Cup team, starting in net for both Leagues Cup games and playing especially well against Necaxa. (It wasn’t his fault that a breakdown in front of him left Japhet Sery Larsen having to mark two attackers at once, leading to the visitors’ goal.)
Last, but a long way from least, Frankie Westfield has continued his impressive rise at left back, despite making the error that led to Cruz Azul’s goal in the Leagues Cup opener.
Perhaps this all seems strange to be saying about a team that not only won’t win the Leagues Cup, but might now call just making the playoffs a successful season after years of higher aspirations.
But a broader look could explain it.
We were just getting settled! 🤯⚽ Nathan Harriel came down the wing and opened the scoring with a great shot for @PhilaUnion!
The continuing afterglow of the World Cup includes Mauricio Pochettino’s renewal with the U.S. men’s national team. He has pledged to look at new players for the 2030 cycle, and his first opportunity to do that will come in the four friendlies that start late next month.
Since the two FIFA windows after that (in November and next March) are reserved for the serious business of the Concacaf Nations League, there’s ample reason for Pochettino to leave some veteran stars home for the friendlies and give newcomers a chance.
Cavan Sullivan is on the list of candidates. Quinn Sullivan might be, too, since Pochettino knows him from last summer and respects his game.
“Obviously that’s a goal,” Quinn said, though he was quick to add, “Right now I’m really focused on building my fitness back.”
Quinn Sullivan on the ball in the Necaxa game.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
It’s also worth remembering the manager’s praise for Nathan Harriel last fall, though other defenders are higher up the priority list right now. The 25-year-old has a lot of experience under his belt now, not just the tactical kind but the streetwise kind.
“All these opportunities you get to play against these Mexican teams are good learning moments for sure,” Harriel said. “Those games you get up for [them]. And it’s difficult, it’s hard, there’s tough moments, but you learn and you can grow from it.”
Is Pierre on the list, still a raw talent at age 18 but in that impossible-to-miss 6-foot-7 frame? The senior national team might be a step too far at the moment. But there’s also the 2028 Olympic team to consider, an under-age-23 squad. He could definitely be of interest to that group’s head coach, Steve Cherundolo, now and over the next two years.
The same goes for Rick, as Cherundolo and Pochettino ponder what to do with a crop of young goalkeepers that is interesting but has no standout yet.
Andrew Rick (center) in action against Cruz Azul.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Obviously, Rick has to contend with being Andre Blake’s backup, and the limited playing time that results. But he has amply proved his abilities to the Union, and likely to the U.S. staff, too.
Westfield has perhaps the most potential for the Olympic team. Outside backs are always hard to come by, and the 20-year-old from Morrell Park in Northeast Philadelphia can play either flank. If he keeps playing this well, his stock should be quite high.
“Everyone’s going to be shooting for the Olympics and World Cup, and we have big dreams,” Quinn Sullivan said. “These smaller versions of the big thing are always helpful.”
And as Harriel said of his journey: “Anything’s possible — I thought I had no shot, and I ended up being there.”
The Leagues Cup has helped show why these players do have a shot.
As the scandal around FIFA president Gianni Infantino continues to upend the soccer world, the U.S. Soccer Federation has finally offered the kind of strong words that fans have been waiting for.
In a joint statement Monday with Canada Soccer and regional entities in Central America and the Caribbean, U.S. Soccer said they all “stand together, along with our colleagues around the world, in calling for meaningful change that strengthens FIFA’s governance, transparency and accountability.”
It wasn’t a direct call for Infantino’s head, but it was as close as one could come politely. And it came on the heels of another fiery statement from Concacaf early Monday morning, this time offered jointly with the Asian and European confederations.
“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned,” the statement said.
Concacaf president Victor Montagliani (second from left) with Asian soccer leader Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa (center) and FIFA president Gianni Infantino (right) at the FIFA Congress in Vancouver in April.Verity Griffin
While Infantino again was not named directly, the words were clearly aimed at him. One source with knowledge of the matter framed the statement in the political terms of an invitation to resign peacefully before things get any hotter.
The statement was notably signed not just by the confederations, but with the names of all three bodies’ presidents and general secretaries. That will sting Infantino’s pride, as the three regional presidents are also FIFA vice presidents: Concacaf’s Victor Montagliani of Canada, Asia’s Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa of Bahrain, and Europe’s Aleksander Čeferin of Slovenia.
They took further aim at Infantino’s desire to privatize the World Cup by creating a company within FIFA — a non-profit — and selling shares to investors including Josh Kushner, the brother of U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin (left) with Gianni Infantino at a game in 2024.Matthias Schrader
“It did not acknowledge that the proposal itself was inherently wrong,” Monday’s statement said. “There remains no recognition that attempting to sell an interest in the FIFA World Cup was a profound failure of judgment — not just a procedural misstep, but a fundamental breach of trust with the very institutions FIFA exists to serve.”
The statement also pointed at Infantino’s crisis meeting at FIFA’s satellite office in Rabat, Morocco, last Wednesday — instead of the real headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland — and how no members of FIFA’s official governing council were invited to attend.
Instead, there were just a few members of FIFA’s “Management Committee,” an entity few people even knew existed before now. Some of those members who did not attend included chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, who a few days before then slammed Infantino in a statement by saying the president “deceived” FIFA staff, “and if that means I lose my job, then so be it.”
FIFA’s chief football officer, former U.S. women’s national team coach Jill Ellis, also was not at that meeting. Nor was another coaching legend who’s now a FIFA executive, Arsène Wenger, who had said it was “absolutely necessary” to ditch the privatization idea.
Jill Ellis (top row, center) in Gianni Infantino’s suite at the U.S.-Belgium World Cup game with other big names including longtime U.S. star Alex Morgan (top left) and U.S. Soccer president Cindy Cone (bottom left).Nick Didlick
But while much of the world has turned against Infantino, it’s far from unanimous. The South American and African confederations have given him strong backing.
There also is not unanimity within Concacaf. Mexico’s federation publicly backed Infantino on Friday, which raised a lot of eyebrows.
Still, the signers of Monday’s statement cover the entire rest of Concacaf: the U.S., Canada, the 31 members of the Caribbean Football Union, and the seven in the Central American Football Union.
A source with knowledge of the matter said Mexico is allowed to have its own opinion, but currently stands alone within the region.
There are still lots of questions about the whole situation, and a long way to go for everything to play out. For now, though, it’s safe to say two issues stand above the rest.
The first is whether, if Infantino doesn’t resign, someone will run against him for the presidency next year. Montagliani has been floated as a candidate, but he hasn’t yet said if he’s going to do it. A candidate must have five nominations from FIFA member nations, and the deadline is Nov. 18.
Coincidentally, that’s five days before the long-planned FIFA Congress to confirm the U.S., Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica as hosts of the 2031 women’s World Cup. It will be interesting to see how that goes, especially if Montagliani is in the race.
The second question could require an answer soonest. UEFA is still threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions. It said last Thursday that “assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again,” and those haven’t come.
Mexican soccer federation president Mikel Arriola (left) with his counterparts from Jamaica, Costa Rica, and the U.S. at last year’s announcement of their joint bid to host the 2031 women’s World Cup.Ron Blum
That puts next month’s under-20 World Cup in Poland in the spotlight. Right now, Concacaf is not threatening to join the boycott threat. But since the tournament will take place in Europe, fans will naturally wonder if Poland will refuse not only to play in it, but to host it.
None of the sources The Inquirer has spoken with have wished that on the players, but there’s a widespread understanding that it might have to happen in order to keep hitting Infantino hard.
There have also been questions behind the scenes about whether Concacaf, UEFA, and the AFC could organize something among themselves, but the discussions have been very preliminary.
The Leagues Cup still doesn’t capture many Union fans’ imaginations, between its newness and the perennial sense that it’s a cash grab for MLS. But there’s going to be a storyline on Sunday night that many around Subaru Park have been looking forward to.
Julián Carranza is back in town for the first time since his departure from the Union two summers ago, to lead Necaxa against his old club (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). The striker, now 26, moved to Mexico in January after 18 months in Europe didn’t go how he hoped.
“I had a lot of experiences over there, in the Dutch League [with Feyenoord], also in the English Championship [with Leicester City],” he said in a news conference Saturday morning at the stadium. “So I’ve grown a lot, mentally and obviously fútbol-istically. … A lot of things happened in those two years, and I’m really happy that happened, and I’m really happy to be here as well.”
If absence makes the heart grow fonder, an absence of goals from current strikers Bruno Damiani and Ezekiel Alladoh has made Union fans especially fond of their former star. Carranza scored 43 goals in 95 games here, tied with Mikael Uhre for No. 3 in club history. (Sébastien Le Toux’s 56 and Dániel Gazdag’s 72 are the top two.)
Julián Carranza wants a say in the Golden Boot race.
It’s only fair to say Carranza wasn’t missed as much last year, when Uhre and Tai Baribo led the way to the Supporters’ Shield. But this year’s squad has missed exactly the kind of skill set Carranza brings: pace, precision, and creation off the dribble at the right moments.
“He is a very important player for us: he is our goleador, our center-forward,” said Necaxa assistant coach Marcos Villano, who will stand in on the bench Sunday with manager Martín Varini suspended for a red card in Thursday’s 2-0 loss at the Chicago Fire. “Beyond just his goal-scoring ability, he is vital to our style of play, the way he drops deep to link up with the midfield. So he is incredibly important, and we’re fortunate to have him on our team.”
Club officials aren’t going to say publicly that the Union could use him right now. Certainly not in the way fans have begged the team on social media to not let him leave the building Sunday night. But his old teammates know what he means to the Union’s history books.
“I love him, he’s my brother, but on the field, there are no friends,” midfielder Jesús Bueno said. “What can I say? He made history in the club, he is a fantastic player, I think that he fit in very well with the team. And no matter what happens with him in his career, I wish him the best.”
Julián Carranza (center) celebrating a goal in 2023 with Jesús Bueno (left) and Dániel Gazdag.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Quinn Sullivan called Carranza “a great dude, and he’s a warrior. I know he’s going to want to score a goal back here again, and it’s our job to stop him from doing it.”
Nor was Carranza going to say aloud that he’d like to return eventually. He has six goals in nine games for Necaxa, after all, including a goal in each of Los Rayos’ first three games of the Liga MX season that kicked off in late July.
Still, it sure tugged at the heartstrings when he said Saturday morning: “It feels special to be back home. I feel like since I got here yesterday, there’s been a lot of memories coming back to my head.”
Carranza keeps in touch with a lot of former colleagues, too. He name-dropped Bueno, Sullivan, and Alejandro Bedoya. And on Thursday, he commented on Bedoya’s Instagram post teasing the Union’s new third jersey that’s coming soon: “Save one for me.”
It didn’t take long for fans to jump on that.
This still stands as one of my favorite Julián Carranza goals for the Union.
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) June 14, 2024
Then came Saturday morning, with not just Carranza’s words but hugs and handshakes for all the familiar faces. He said he’d head to the Union’s training facilities afterward to see more friends and his old locker.
“I still talk to everyone — Paulie [Rushing, the team’s longtime head athletic trainer], the physios, players,” Carranza said. “I’m still very attached to this institution, especially because of the great things that we lived here.”
He remembered, too, how he didn’t really get to say goodbye when he left. That was partly because of how the deal with Feyenoord came together, but also because he didn’t want a public send-off, even though he could have had one.
Now the time will finally come for Union fans to salute him, however many are in the stands Sunday night.
“I feel like it’s going to be special,” he said. “I think me and the fans, we had a really good connection all my time here. So hopefully tomorrow, they can show a little bit and yeah, I’ll be grateful.”
The question always comes around when the Union enter the Leagues Cup: How seriously will they take it?
That moment arrived again Wednesday, as interim manager Ryan Richter prepared for Thursday’s group stage opener against perennial Mexican power Cruz Azul at Subaru Park (8 p.m., FS1, UniMás, TUDN, Apple TV).
In theory, the tournament is the Union’s shortest path to a trophy this season. Each of the 36 teams in the field — 18 each from Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX — plays three from the opposite league in the group phase. A win is worth three points, and there are no draws: Tied games go to penalty kicks, with the winner earning two standings points and the loser earning one.
There’s then an MLS standings table and a Liga MX table, and the top four in each advance to the quarterfinals. The goal? Avoid matchups within the same league for as long as possible.
Kai Wagner (right) and the Union last faced Cruz Azul in the 2024 Leagues Cup.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
But while a full run is six games, the Union have another factor to consider. Saturday’s win over Atlanta was the first of eight games this month, three in the Leagues Cup and five in the regular season. The tournament quarterfinals are Aug. 25-27, the semifinals are Sept. 1-2, with the final and third-place game on Sept. 6.
That is a truckload of action, and it could easily flatten a team that needs every ounce it can muster just to make the playoffs.
“For us, we have to take it one game at a time,” Richter said at his pregame news conference Wednesday. “But we’re going to play a strong team against Cruz Azul. So we’re going to go for the win, and then you see the way the tournament’s structured this year: Then we have to go and see what the next game brings, and see exactly how far we can we can go in this tournament.”
He later added: “We’re approaching this game against Cruz Azul with our first team, and we’ll continue to progress like that through the tournament until it’s maybe not possible. But we plan on going through this tournament with the first team, and hopefully advancing past this round.”
The Union are coming off a dramatic win over Atlanta United that has the team on a three-game winning streak in MLS play.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
At the same time, he knows the ideal will collide with pragmatism pretty quickly, and lineup rotation will be necessary.
“Yeah, we have to, that’s clear,” Richter said. “To ask the same group to play in those six games would be really difficult. But I’m totally confident in the players that we have in the squad, and I know there’s a number of positions that we can rotate and we don’t drop our level at all.”
He also said he’s “excited to see the opportunities that present themselves for guys, and what they can earn, and the positions that they can earn with the minutes that come from a congested schedule like this.”
That pointed toward something that has always been among the Leagues Cup’s biggest benefits for the Union: the chance to give young prospects a taste of the big stage.
Frankie Westfield is one of the players who could have a big opportunity in the Leagues Cup.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
It’s especially important for young American players who might be able to earn looks from the national team. And since U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino has opened the door as he starts his second term, the Union can once again earn a spotlight: on Cavan and Quinn Sullivan, Frankie Westfield, Neil Pierre, Andrew Rick, and so on.
Playing against Mexican teams is always valuable experience, even if all of the Union’s Leagues Cup games are at home — though it won’t always sound that way, with all three visitors expected to bring lots of fans.
If the Union have some good performances, perhaps that will increase the odds their guys get a call from Pochettino for the September and October friendlies.
“The intensity and the level of these games, when you play against a team like Cruz Azul, you find out who the real dogs are,” Richter said. “You find out a lot about players in the tough games against good teams, against really difficult opponents, in environments like this that are different. … Who can raise their level, and is up to the level of that game? And the only way you find that out is when they’re in that actual situation.”
NEW YORK — There are plenty of fun stories to tell about Larry Berg’s Cherry Hill roots, from his lifelong Eagles fandom to playing in New Jersey’s state high school soccer tournament against Peter Vermes’ Delran High in the 1980s.
The biggest was finding out his vision for how the league will capitalize on the World Cup — especially when it comes to slashing the phone book’s worth of roster rules.
As part of Los Angeles FC’s ownership group, Berg has recently been a co-chair of the league’s powerful sporting and competition committee, which means he knows that rule book inside and out. Now he knows which of those rules need to go to make MLS more competitive on the global stage, and thus more attractive to global soccer fans who look down on it.
From left, longtime MLS commissioner Don Garber, new commissioner Larry Berg, Columbus Crew principal owner Jimmy Haslam, and Los Angeles FC part-owner Bennett Rosenthal at Tuesday’s event.Major League Soccer
“We’ve accomplished an extraordinary amount over the last three decades, but success can never become an excuse for standing still,” Berg said, still with hints of a Cherry Hill accent after his years out west. “Status quo is not an option.”
Current comissioner Don Garber said that when he appointed Berg to that committee in 2019, Berg “brought to that role an entirely modern and forward-thinking perspective as to where the product could be on the field.”
The league has long discussed an overhaul that will free teams to not just spend more money, but have more freedom in how they spend it. The latter is as important as the former, with rosters chopped into so many classifications: Designated Players, Targeted Allocation Money, Under-22 signings, and so on.
“I didn’t accept this role to protect what we’ve already accomplished — I accepted it because I believe this league is ready for its next chapter,” Berg said. “We’ve come an incredibly long way in a remarkably short period of time, and everyone who has helped build Major League Soccer should be proud of that. But I also believe the opportunity in front of us is even greater than what we’ve accomplished so far.”
Larry Berg has helped bring Gareth Bale (left) and other superstars to Los Angeles FC over the years.Marcio Jose Sanchez
There is proof that overhaul is on the way. At Monday’s vote of team owners that elected Berg, Inter Miami’s powerful leader Jorge Mas was seen walking out of the lobby holding a printout of a presentation titled “MLS 3.0.” He was gone before reporters could ask him what was in it, but fans would like to know.
“The platform is in place, the infrastructure is in place, the opportunity is in front of us,” Berg said. “Now it’s time to pull the right levers, make the right decisions, and build on everything that’s been created. Together, we’ll make the right decisions to elevate our competition, strengthen our clubs, develop more world-class players, and inspire the next generation of supporters.”
One of Berg’s fellow co-owners at LAFC, Bennett Rosenthal, was a co-chair of the committee that vetted commissioner candidates. He said choosing Berg “puts us in a position, and puts Larry in a position most importantly, to succeed and get consensus to make those changes.”
Another major headline is that Berg is the first MLS commissioner to have a major soccer background before taking the job. It needs to be said that he’s only the third commissioner in league history: Doug Logan had the job first, from 1996-99, and Garber has had it since. He will stay in the job through the end of this year, then spend 2027 with the new title of chairman.
Larry Berg (right) with Don Garber at MLS headquarters.Major League Soccer
“In Larry, our league has found exactly the leader we need at this time,” Garber said, coincidentally speaking 27 years to the day since his hiring was announced.
“He understands it because he helped build it,” Garber continued. “He knows our clubs and knows our league because he’s experienced it full time, and understands the opportunities and the challenges ahead. … I think your integrity, your ambition, your thoughtfulness, your smarts, your respect that you have for the game, is going to help take this league to where we all want it to go.”
Berg, 60, has been around soccer since his childhood. He was a fan of the old Philadelphia Atoms back in the day, and has been a devoted traveler to U.S. national team games for decades.
“I want to take you back to 1974: I was eight years old when my father saw a flyer taped to a telephone pole announcing a brand new youth soccer league in our hometown,” he recalled. “He didn’t know anything about soccer, to be clear, but he thought it looked interesting and signed me up anyway — there were only two teams, so we played the same opponent every weekend. I don’t think either of us could have imagined that one decision would eventually lead me here today.”
Rosenthal said his committee believed from the start that “we needed somebody who had a passion for the game, and there was nobody who had a bigger passion than Larry. And when we say the word passion, Larry described this role as something he had ‘a calling’ to do.”
It remains to be seen how much of an impact that actually has. But there surely will be some impact, directly and subtly.
“I’ve experienced this sport as a player, a fan, an owner, and now with tremendous humility as next commissioner,” Berg said. “The foundation has been built. Now it’s our responsibility to build on it, and that’s what excites me most.”
Larry Berg with his wife Allison (right), a Philadelphia native.FilmMagic
Berg specifically noted how important it is for the league to capture the afterglow of this summer’s World Cup, and ensure all the new soccer fans it created come to MLS specifically.
“Millions of people across North America experienced that passion firsthand: they fell in love with the drama, the atmosphere, the supporter culture, and the emotion that makes soccer unlike anything else,” he said. “That creates an extraordinary opportunity for all of us. The question isn’t whether people are paying attention to soccer — they are. The question is what we do with this moment.”
NEW YORK — U.S. Soccer Federation CEO JT Batson was among the VIPs at Larry Berg’s introduction as Major League Soccer’s next commissioner on Tuesday. After the event, Batson took questions from the media. But that didn’t mean he offered detailed answers to all of them.
That was particularly true when questions about FIFA president Gianni Infantino came up.
“As we shared publicly, we supported Concacaf’s statement on Friday with regards to FIFA Forward Enterprises,” Batson said, referring to Infantino’s plan to sell shares in a new FIFA private company — including to Josh Kushner, whose brother’s father-in-law is U.S. President Donald Trump.
That “support” was a mere one-sentence post on X: “U.S. Soccer stands with Concacaf and its members.” It was attached to Concacaf’s post with its statement that formally “rejected” Infantino’s plan.
“We have a board meeting in September where, among many topics, one of [them] is thinking about what the best future is for global soccer,” Batson said. “There’s so much more opportunity to grow soccer in more communities around the world, and to do it in a way where those communities are healthier, where they’re more sustainable, and everyone around the world is more connected. We’re looking forward to that discussion, and I don’t anticipate a whole lot of communication ahead of that.”
What happens if the issue is forced with Infantino before then? Europe’s soccer governing body UEFA could call for an extraordinary FIFA Congress to try to overthrow FIFA, and might get Concacaf’s help in doing so.
The Guardian reported Tuesday morning that all 41 of Concacaf’s member nations sent letters endorsing Infantino’s reelection before the World Cup, but “many are now giving serious consideration to withdrawing them.”
Concacaf president and FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani (top) with FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia, in April.Darryl Dyck
The report further said U.S. Soccer specifically “is understood to be deeply unhappy with Infantino,” with the backlash over President Trump’s intervention on Folarin Balogun’s red card a key point. But “given the political sensitivities,” the report added, U.S. Soccer “may not feel able to take him on.”
When Batson was asked if U.S. Soccer wrote such a letter and might withdraw it, he answered: “I haven’t seen that story, so it’s hard for me to comment on it.”
He was also asked whether U.S. Soccer would back Concacaf president Victor Montagliani if he runs against Infantino, which looks increasingly possible. Batson didn’t answer that question directly.
Current MLS commissioner Don Garber was asked his opinion of it all, not just as the MLS’ leader but as a member of U.S. Soccer’s board.
MLS commissioner Don Garber at last year’s Club World Cup final.Pamela Smith
“I’m going to wait for JT and Cindy [Cone, U.S. Soccer’s president], who I have a lot of faith in, and see what they want or don’t want to do,” he said. “But I haven’t spent any time thinking about it. I’m still reveling in the beauty and joy of the World Cup, disappointed that there’s negativity, but this is an issue that’s going to have to be addressed — but it’s going to be addressed by others.”
Garber spent plenty of time in Infantino’s orbit leading up to this summer, including when three MLS teams played in last summer’s Club World Cup. But he claimed he had no inside knowledge of Infantino’s privatization plan.
“I found out when everybody else did by reading it on social media,” he said. “And I’ve been focused on today, and our Leagues Cup which starts [this week]. I have no information, and probably no more or no less than anybody else in the world.”
Mauricio Pochettino (left) with JT Batson during the U.S. men’s team’s pre-World Cup training camp.Jonathan Tannenwald
Contract talks started well before the World Cup, as Batson acknowledged when the U.S. team’s World Cup training camp kicked off in late May. An extension offer was put on the table back then, but both sides agreed to wait to see how the tournament played out.
After the Americans were eliminated in the quarterfinals on July 6, both sides took a breather for a bit. But once they started talking again, it didn’t take long for a deal to get done.
“We’re super excited that Mauricio and his staff are joining us for this next project,” Batson said. “We signed the contract Sunday, we announced it Monday, and at 7 a.m. this morning Eastern time, I was on with Mauricio, and Jesús [Pérez, Pochettino’s top assistant], and Dan [Helfrich, U.S. Soccer’s chief operating officer], about all the planning and everything around the next steps. They’re pumped, we’re excited, and we’re ready to get going.”
Batson confirmed an ESPN report that there are “mutual protections” in Pochettino’s deal, which runs through the 2030 World Cup, in case he doesn’t see it all the way out.
Mauricio Pochettino (center) has agreed a new deal to stay on as the U.S. men’s soccer team’s manager through the 2030 World Cup.Jonathan Tannenwald
That is an unusual phrase, certainly not as simple as “a buyout.” But it feels like an implicit acknowledgment that European clubs might pursue Pochettino, and that the summer of 2028 might be a natural separation point if the circumstances are right — especially if the U.S. plays in the 2028 Copa América with South American teams.
“Of course there are protections for both sides in this,” Batson said. “They were incredibly thoughtful, it was very straightforward, and we’re excited for the next four years.”
Asked to put a dollar figure on it, Batson only said “it’s material.”
If Pochettino does leave in the summer of ‘28, Steve Cherundolo would have an easy move over from the Olympic squad — mostly an under-23 age group — to the senior team.
Steve Cherundolo played for the U.S. national team for many years, and was Los Angeles FC’s manager from 2022-25.Michael Wyke / AP
But Batson believes Pochettino might stay for the whole term.
“I know from the moment we announced Mauricio, there were lots of folks skeptical that they actually were committed, and that they cared about soccer in this country, and they wanted to do all the things necessary to make us successful as a men’s national team, but more broadly as U.S. Soccer,” Batson said. “I’m incredibly excited that folks now are getting — obviously this summer, they got to see — the Mauricio and staff that we all knew, and of course now we’re seeing with their very long-term commitment to U.S. Soccer.”
The long road to the 2030 men’s World Cup, and Mauricio Pochettino’s second term as U.S. men’s soccer team manager, will kick off in late September.
FIFA this year combined the September and October windows into one long stretch in which teams can play up to four games. The U.S. will play all four, against a combination of familiar regional rivals and visitors from South America.
Up first will be Peru on Sept. 26 in Orlando. Then it’s off to the Midwest to face Chile on Sept. 29 in St. Louis. Both of those games will be played at the local MLS stadiums.
Next up will be a renewal of the U.S. team’s most famous rivalry, against Mexico, on Oct. 3 in Glendale, Ariz. That gets an NFL stadium stage for the 80th edition of the matchup, and the first since last year’s Concacaf Gold Cup final.
Mexico beat the U.S. in last year’s Concacaf Gold Cup final.Ashley Landis
Because the nations cohosted this summer’s World Cup, they didn’t have to qualify. That meant there were none of what are usually the best clashes, on each team’s home turf in World Cup qualifying. And they might not return, because the World Cup’s expansion to 48 teams means Concacaf’s qualifying groups are spread out.
So we will be left with friendlies and hopes for meetings in the Gold Cup and Concacaf Nations League, which officially are neutral-site games, even though they’re always in the United States.
The last game of the slate will be against Canada on Oct. 6 in St. Paul, Minn. That will give the U.S. a chance to renew acquaintances with an old friend, the Canucks’ Wisconsin-born manager Jesse Marsch. The Princeton alumnus undoubtedly will relish that, as he so often relishes tossing barbs across the border at a U.S. program that spurned him when it first hired Pochettino.
Who will play in the games is an interesting prospect. Though the stars from the World Cup teams might sell tickets, many fans hope to see a new era of younger players get a shot. Potential call-ups include the Union’s Cavan and Quinn Sullivan, Frankie Westfield, and Neil Pierre; Red Bull New York’s Adri Mehmeti and Julian Hall; and Real Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo.
Cavan Sullivan played for the United States at last year’s under-17 World Cup. He could get a shot with the senior squad this fall.Chris Ricco
It’s notable that MLS is playing a full round of games during the FIFA window, on Sept. 26 and 27. We’ll see how that affects Pochettino’s selections, and if he can get all the MLS-based players players he wants. (Europe’s leagues will be off.)
Keep an eye on goalkeeper, too. One of the U.S. pool’s top prospects, Diego Kochen, went on loan from Spanish superpower Barcelona to Denmark’s Lyngby — a team part-owned by the Union — for the upcoming European season.
Though none of the venues are near Philadelphia, they might at least make a nice quick escape for fans looking for a trip. Presales for U.S. Soccer members start Wednesday, and sales to the general public start Friday.
After the September-October window, the U.S. will enter the 2026-27 Concacaf Nations League in the November window. That will be a home-and-away quarterfinal series, and the opponent will be determined by first-round contests during that September/October window. The top four teams in the region got a bye to the quarters: the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Panama.
The 2027 final four will be played in its usual window, next March, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
SoFi Stadium hosted two of the United States’ group stage games at this summer’s World Cup.Jonathan Tannenwald
USMNT schedule (all times Philadelphia time)
Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Peru at Inter.co Stadium, Orlando, 4:30 p.m. (TNT, truTV, Telemundo 62, Universo, HBO Max, Peacock)
Tuesday, Sept. 29: vs. Chile at Energizer Park, St. Louis, 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV, Universo, HBO Max, Peacock)
Saturday, Oct. 3: vs. Mexico at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz., 10 p.m. (TNT, Telemundo 62, Universo, HBO Max, Peacock)
Tuesday, Oct. 6: vs. Canada at Allianz Field, St. Paul, Minn., 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV, Universo, HBO Max, Peacock)
NEW YORK — After a rough first half of the season, Union principal owner Jay Sugarman finally has some reasons to be in a good mood.
Though there’s still a ways to go before the club is fully back, the current three-game winning streak has lifted everyone’s spirits at Subaru Park. Saturday’s wild comeback win over Atlanta United was the latest chapter, with the tying and winning goals toward the end of eight minutes of second-half stoppage time.
“I have to say, that spirit, it’s really the Union spirit,” Sugarman told The Inquirer as he left the meeting where Cherry Hill native Larry Berg was elected MLS’s new commissioner. “You can feel it: the guys, they’re not giving up. They want to fight to the end, and that makes me really happy.”
You can count the reasons why, including a new-manager bounce from Bradley Carnell’s dismissal and Ryan Richter’s promotion during the World Cup break. But it’s clear that Kai Wagner’s return at left back is likely the biggest factor.
He has created 14 scoring chances in three games so far, and officially notched three assists. It would be four if his cross for Milan Iloski’s opener Saturday hadn’t taken a deflection along the way.
For as much as Wagner wanted to return to Philadelphia, Sugarman had to get out his checkbook to seal the deal with Birmingham City. The Union paid a $4 million transfer fee, one of the biggest in their history (though not huge by current MLS standards).
But it’s certainly been worth the money so far. Wagner and his family are happy to be back, and one of the best left backs in MLS history looks like he didn’t miss a beat.
“Kai checked so many boxes for us,” Sugarman said. “I always thought he was an incredibly valuable piece, and I think that was the piece we didn’t expect to lose. And so, say what you will about all the other decisions we made, but that was the one that was involuntary, and it had repercussions that were way beyond what we could have expected.”
Union defender Kai Wagner has brought a spark to the team’s efforts to ascend the standings. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
He knows what fans’ responses will be to that. Some might have expected it given all the offseasons when Wagner wanted to leave; and it could have been expected that the Union would suffer a lot in losing him.
There are other left backs in the world, though. Perhaps if the one the Union signed, Philippe Ndinga, had been better, there wouldn’t have been so much pining for what was lost.
Sugarman knows this, because it can happen to any soccer team when a new player isn’t as good as the prior one. He also knows he might have to leave the checkbook open. But he has said often over the years that if the right move comes along, he’ll pay for it, and he did here.
“So I was like, if you can get him back, get him back,” he said. “We paid up for him, but he’s been proven both here and there to be a difference-maker. And he’s been a difference-maker already.”
NEW YORK – Larry Berg, a member of Los Angeles FC’s ownership group with roots in Cherry Hill, has been elected as the new commissioner of Major League Soccer.
He will officially take the reins on Jan. 1, with current commissioner Don Garber keeping the job until then. Garber will then take the role of chairman.
“Thanks to the vision and commitment of so many people, Major League Soccer has achieved tremendous success, but I believe our greatest opportunities are still ahead,” Berg said in a statement. “We have an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen the quality of our competition, develop more world-class players, deepen our connection with supporters, and continue elevating Major League Soccer’s place in the global game. Together with our owners, clubs, players, partners, supporters, and league staff, I could not be more excited for what comes next.”
A formal news conference will take place Tuesday at the league’s Manhattan headquarters. Monday’s vote took place there, with representatives of all 30 teams’ ownership groups.
Larry Berg poses for a photo at MLS headquarters after being elected as the league’s new commissioner.Major League Soccer
“Having worked closely with Larry over the past decade, I’ve seen firsthand the qualities that make him an exceptional leader, and I have complete confidence he is the right person to serve as Major League Soccer’s next commissioner,” Garber said. “His integrity, judgment, collaborative leadership, and unwavering commitment to building LAFC and the league have made him an invaluable partner. I look forward to working alongside Larry during this transition and supporting him as he leads MLS into its next chapter.”
Berg, 60, has been part of LAFC’s ownership group since the team launched in 2018. He will be just the league’s third commissioner since it launched in 1996. Doug Logan had the job from 1995-99, and Garber has had it ever since.
Berg topped David Nathanson, a former Fox Sports executive with ownership stakes in teams including the Seattle Sounders, NWSL’s Angel City FC, and NHL’s Seattle Kraken.
Those were the only two candidates, and just one other was known to have been in the race: veteran San Francisco 49ers and Leeds United executive Paraag Marathe. He took himself out in mid-July.
Don Garber has been MLS commissioner since 1999.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Berg has recently been co-chair of MLS’s powerful sporting and competition committee. That group is in charge of setting the league’s roster rules, including a long-anticipated overhaul to push the pace harder in the global game. That overhaul seems close to arriving, and no doubt Berg will be a leading figure in presenting it to the public.
He also has quite a few ties to the Philadelphia area. He’s a Cherry Hill native who played soccer at Cherry Hill East High, and attended Penn’s Wharton business school. He’s a Philadelphia sports fan, from the Eagles to soccer’s Atoms back in the day, and his wife is from the city.
Berg’s career away from soccer has been in the investment world. He knows 76ers lead owner Josh Harris well, having worked at Apollo Global Capital and Harris’ newer 26 North investment firm.
Of course, Berg’s fandom hasn’t extended to the local MLS team here, but that’s no surprise. He has helped build LAFC’s juggernaut, with a history of stars and a 2022 MLS Cup title at the Union’s expense.
Now everyone will see if his business acumen with a club can translate to the overall league.
Larry Berg (left) with his wife Allison, a Philadelphia native.FilmMagic
Nathanson spent many years in the media world. His biggest feat was helping Fox land World Cup broadcast rights starting in 2015, after ESPN had held them for decades. He was also involved in deals for Concacaf tournaments and other soccer properties. After leaving Fox in 2017, Nathanson became an investor in a wide variety of areas, including sports teams.
Coincidentally, he also has ties to Philadelphia as a Penn alum, and is a regular visitor to the city. His top selling point as a candidate is having TV rights experience, with MLS already starting to look for its next round of big deals. The all-in-one Apple package will end in 2029, and Fox’s small package of linear broadcasts expires after this year.
Nathanson declined to comment when approached, but he no doubt will be heard from in other ways in the sport.
Union principal owner Jay Sugarman told The Inquirer he was pleased with Berg’s victory.
“We had two very impressive candidates, and both of them had clear plans on how to build on Don Garber’s legacy, which gives us a lot of excitement for the future,” Sugarman said. “I think Larry understands this league inside and out, and I’m excited to move forward with him.”
