With the 2025 season about to kick off this coming weekend, it’s time to set expectations for the Philadelphia Union. This year, Philly will be playing in two major competitions: the Major League Soccer (MLS) season and an in-season tournament, the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
The club is trying to rebuild and bounce back from a down year in 2024, and because of that, its focus only needs to be on the two competitions it is in. Getting used to a new coaching staff and the club’s ability to develop players will also be considered. Here’s a look at all of the different areas of expectations the Union will be looking to answer this year.
- The MLS Campaign
- The US Open Cup
- Player Development
- Coaching Tactics/Adaptability
- The overall club culture/vibes
We’ve already taken an in-depth look at the Union’s 2025 MLS campaign and their expectations there. In this go around, we’ll look at the Union’s odds of making yet another magical run in the oldest domestic soccer tournament in the world: The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
Philadelphia Union’s Open Cup Expectations
This is the first time the Philadelphia Union is back in the US Open Cup since 2019. Back then the club fell in their first match to DC United. That was one of the club’s worst showing in the tournament. Their best showings were in 2014, 2015, and 2018, where they made the final, losing to Seattle, Kansas City, and Houston, respectively. Philly has felt the lowest of lows and highest of highs in this tournament.
In their beginning years, the Union struggled to be successful in MLS play; however, they made deep Open Cup runs, almost winning it a few times. Now, the club is in a rebuilding year. The expectations are lowered from being a true contender to just being competitive. Could this lead to Philadelphia feeling the magic of another run to this historic cup? Let’s look at the possible outcomes for their Open Cup expectations.
Baseline Success: Making the Quarterfinals
For Philly, the US Open Cup is like their white whale. They have always been around the US Open Cup, but they have failed to actually win it. This year, it seems a bit farfetched to predict the Union is going to compete for trophies, but there needs to be a baseline for success in the tournament. This year, it seems like that would be to make the quarterfinals.
All MLS sides will enter the US Open Cup at the Round of 32 stage. To get to the quarterfinals, Philly will need to win two matches in the tournament to make the quarters. The Open Cup is usually broken into regional “brackets,” especially when MLS teams enter the tournament; because of this, Philadelphia will likely play a USL team or another MLS side from the region, and then likely another team like DC, Red Bulls, or NYCFC in the Round of 16. Winning against those teams that Philly is very familiar with should be the baseline goal.
Unmitigated Failure: Getting knocked out in the first match
The last thing Philly wants/needs is to get knocked out in their first game of this tournament. There is already very little for Union fans to look forward to this season. Last year, when the team was not included, the return to the Open Cup was loudly talked about. They want their team to play well in a tournament that has been a source of success in years past. If they fall to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the first game, it will be a disgrace.
The Union will have to take this competition seriously. If Carnell and his staff decide to rest players in this tournament and only focus on MLS, then there is really no point in being involved in these other competitions. Also, if the starters go out there and play under their standards to lose in their first match, the vibes will likely plummet into the same discontent the fanbase felt last season.
Overachieving Success: Play in the US Open Cup Final for the 4th time in Club history
The US Open Cup is the easiest route to a trophy this year for the Union. Win five one-off matches, and you hoist the historic Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Why can’t this Union team do that? They have made runs in this competition before with a whole lot less talent than they have on the roster now. Maybe this is the type of competition this team needs to go on a run.
Time will tell what this competition will mean for the 2025 Philadelphia Union, but one thing is clear: this tournament means something to the fans of this club. From mainly empty early rounds games with members of the Son of Ben moving to pretend to be the away fans, to a blow-up lamb on a stick making its way around the river end, to packed-out Cup finals at Subaru Park. Hopefully, the club will respect what this competition means to the fans and possibly go on a run to the Cup as well!
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