On Wednesday, December 20th, Philadelphia Union announced its entire 2024 MLS Schedule in conjunction with the league. Just like last season, fans can watch every league match with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. In anticipation of the season to come, Scouting the Schedule is back for 2024! Take a deep dive into the Union's schedule with a preview of every single matchup.
June will be a month of Eastern Conference matchups for the Boys in Blue -- they'll face five familiar foes, hosting three matches at Subaru Park.
Their early summer slate starts on June 1st, taking on a CF Montréal team that finished in 10th place in the East in 2023. They missed the playoffs by one spot, but in the season to come, their team will look very different, as the club announced that they have parted ways with their Head Coach Hernán Losada, Assistant Coach Sebastián Setti, along with seven players.
A major offseason move of note for the Canadian side is a cross-conference interleague deal to reacquire Raheem Edwards from LA Galaxy, so the Union can expect to see 28-year-old winger more often in the years to come.
While the MLS schedule has the Boys in Blue hosting CF Montreal on June 1, that date could have to change if they make a deep run in the Concacaf Champions Cup. A trophy could be on the line for Philly early in the month as the champion will be crowned on Sunday, June 2nd. Should the Union make it to the final, they'd be following in the footsteps of the Seattle Sounders who became the first MLS club to win the tournament in 2022.
Possible opponents in the CCL Final include Tigres, CF Monterrey, Columbus Crew, Inter Miami CF, FC Cincinnati and Orlando City SC.
The first full season of Lionel Messi in Major League Soccer is full on anticipation after he helped guide the Florida side to its first trophy via the 2023 Leagues Cup. Injuries derailed the side from having a magical run to the postseason, but the David Beckham-led franchise has its targets set on adding even more big names around the 8-time Ballon d’Or winner. Last season, Inter Miami were one of two Eastern Conference teams with a winning record against the Union with a home win early in 2023 and the Leagues Cup Semifinal contest in early August.
Philadelphia will host Miami on June 15th for a Saturday night matchup on the waterfront.
FC Cincinnati put an end to the Union’s 2023 campaign with a 1-0 win at TQL stadium in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but the group was unable to advance past their Ohio foe, losing the following match to Columbus Crew. Despite their final result, 2023 was a historically successful season for Cincinnati. In his second season as head coach, Pat Noonan led the club, which had finished last place overall for three straight seasons before his arrival, to become Supporters Shield winners. With Lucho Acosta, the 2023 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player, still under contract alongside 22 additional players from last year’s campaign, matches against Cincinnati are likely to be a tough test for any Eastern Conference opponent.
The match will mark Philadelphia's first meeting with Noonan's squad since the playoffs and the first fixture of their 2024 series.
After their trip to Cincinnati, Philadelphia will return to Subaru Park to host a Charlotte FC team that has made major changes in the offseason, most notably parting ways with Christian Lattanzio as head coach.
Although the team had a historically successful campaign in 2023, reaching the postseason for the first time in club history, they’ve signed Englishman Dean Smith, a former Premier league manager, to lead the team. Last year, Philadelphia emerged without a loss against Charlotte, earning a 1-0 win and a 2-2 draw, but their Mint City opponents could be a tougher test in the season to come with new leadership.
At the end of May, the Boys in Blue will meet up with Montréal again, but on this occasion, they'll head to Stade Saputo for a Saturday night matchup in Canada.
