Sullivan becomes the third-youngest player (16 years, 351 days) in MLS history to be named MLS Player of the Matchday
NEW YORK (Monday, September 14, 2026) – 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 (Watch Highlights From His Performance Here). 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 (Watch Here). 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 (Watch Here). 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 (Watch Here).
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.
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