The 2020 Philadelphia Union season was the club's eleventh season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of American soccer. The team was managed by Jim Curtin, his seventh season with the club. The Union's season began on February 29, 2020, and was scheduled on end in October or November 2020, depending on their regular season performance. On March 12, 2020, MLS suspended the season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Originally planned to be a 30-day suspension, the league remained suspended until July 9, 2020, when competition resumed with the MLS is Back Tournament. The tournament ran through August 11, 2020, with the remainder of the season, under a truncated format, continued through November 8, 2020.
The 2020 season saw Philadelphia win their first major trophy in club history, by capturing the Supporters' Shield for the best regular season record. Philadelphia finished 14–4–5, averaging 2.04 points per game. Outside of MLS regular season play, the club was eliminated in the Conference Quarterfinals of the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs, losing to New England Revolution. In the MLS is Back Tournament, Philadelphia reached the semifinals of the tournament before losing to eventual champions, Portland Timbers. The Union were also slated to participate the 2020 Leagues Cup and the 2020 U.S. Open Cup, but both competitions though were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020 roster
Transfers
In DateNo.Pos.PlayerTransferred fromFee/notesSourceDecember 23, 2019 8 MF José Martínez Zulia F.C. $325,000 January 1, 2020 13 MF Cole Turner Philadelphia Union II Homegrown signing 14 FW Jack de Vries Philadelphia Union II Homegrown signing January 10, 2020 35 MF Jamiro Monteiro FC Metz $2,000,000; DP signing January 19, 2020 24 MF Matej Oravec DAC Dunajská Streda Undisclosed fee; TAM signing January 31, 2020 5 DF Jakob Glesnes Strømsgodset Undisclosed fee; TAM signing
Out DateNo.Pos.PlayerTransferred toFee/notesSource November 20, 2019 6 MF Haris Medunjanin FC Cincinnati End of contract 10 MF Marco Fabián Al Sadd SC Declined contract option 16 DF R. J. Allen Declined contract option 26 DF Auston Trusty Colorado Rapids $300,000 TAM (2020) $300,000 GAM (2021) $150,000 GAM (2021) 33 DF Fabinho Declined contract option November 26, 2019 9 MF Fafà Picault FC Dallas $300,000 GAM (2020) $75,000 GAM (2021)
Loan out DateNo.Pos.PlayerLoaned toFee/notesSourceFebruary 6, 2020 19 FW Cory Burke SKN St. Pölten 5-month loan
Staff
PositionStaffNationality Head coach Jim Curtin Technical director Chris Albright Assistant coach Oka Nikolov Assistant coach Pat Noonan Director of Goalkeeping Phil Wheddon Head athletic trainer Paul Rushing Team coordinator Josh Gros Sporting director Ernst Tanner Academy director Tommy Wilson
Competitions
Preseason
MLS
League tables
Eastern Conference
Overall
Match results Only matches numbered in the left column apply to the season standings
MLS Cup Playoffs
MLS is Back Tournament
Group stage
Group A standings
Group A results
Knockout round
U.S. Open Cup
Due to their final standings for the 2019 season, the Union were scheduled to enter the competition in the Fourth Round, to be played May 19–20. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic, however, forced the U.S. Soccer Federation to cancel the tournament on August 17, 2020.
References