Philadelphia Union Midfielder Cavan Sullivan Voted MLS Player of the Matchday for Matchday 26
MLS Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia Union Midfielder Cavan Sullivan Voted MLS Player of the Matchday for Matchday 26

Published on September 14, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Philadelphia Union News Release


CHESTER, Pa. - Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday for Matchday 26 of the 2026 MLS season.

Sullivan scored twice and added one assist in the Philadelphia Union's 5-0 road victory over San Diego FC on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire. Sullivan has at least one goal contribution in each of his last seven games, which is the longest streak by a teenager in MLS history. The 16-year-old Homegrown has helped the Union to a 10-game unbeaten run since the FIFA World Cup break, going 8-0-2 in that stretch and rising from last in the Eastern Conference to seventh place and in an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs position. Sullivan has 17 goal contributions this season (six goals, 11 assists), which is tied for the third-most by a teenager in a season in MLS history, and only three behind Diego Fagúndez (20 in 2013) for the most.

Sullivan opened the scoring during first-half stoppage time with an outrageous backheel flick that found the corner of the net. He then doubled the Union's advantage in the 62nd minute when he received the ball in the 18-yard box and fired a shot through the goalkeeper's legs for his second goal of the evening. Five minutes later, the 16-year-old notched an assist when he located Frankie Westfield, who charged down the right side and found Bruno Damiani for a close-range finish.

This marks the first time Sullivan has been named MLS Player of the Matchday and he becomes the third-youngest player (16 years, 351 days) in MLS history to earn the honor, behind only Freddy Adu (15 years, 342 days) and Santino Quaranta (16 years, 275 days). After Bruno Damiani earned the award on Matchday 25, the Union are the first team to win the award in consecutive matchdays with two different players since LAFC on Matchdays 34 and 35 in 2025 (Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga).

Sullivan and the Union will look to continue their impressive form when they travel to face Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, September 19, at Sporting Park (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS on Apple TV).

The MLS Player of the Matchday is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while an Instagram fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.

2026 MLS Player of the Matchday Winners

Matchday Player Club

Matchday 1 Julian Hall Red Bull New York

Matchday 2 Lionel Messi Inter Miami CF

Matchday 3 Wiki Carmona CF Montréal

Matchday 4 Petar Musa FC Dallas

Matchday 5 Sam Surridge Nashville SC

Matchday 6 Denis Bouanga LAFC

Matchday 7 Rafael Navarro Colorado Rapids

Matchday 8 Lionel Messi Inter Miami CF

Matchday 9 Tai Baribo D.C. United

Matchday 10 Timo Werner San Jose Earthquakes

Matchday 11 Martín Ojeda Orlando City SC

Matchday 12 Hannes Wolf New York City FC

Matchday 13 Julian Hall Red Bull New York

Matchday 14 Hany Mukhtar Nashville SC

Matchday 15 Evander FC Cincinnati

Matchday 16 and 17 Luis Suárez Inter Miami CF

Matchday 18 Denis Bouanga LAFC

Matchday 19 Robert Lewandowski Chicago Fire FC

Matchday 20 Hany Mukhtar Nashville SC

Matchday 21 Alhassan Yusuf New England Revolution

Matchday 22 Antoine Griezmann Orlando City SC

Matchday 23 Lionel Messi Inter Miami CF

Matchday 24 Vincent Janssen Portland Timbers

Matchday 25 Bruno Damiani Philadelphia Union

Matchday 26 Cavan Sullivan Philadelphia Union

Check out the Philadelphia Union Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from September 14, 2026


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