Philadelphia Union to Face Defence Force FC in 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One
MLS Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia Union to Face Defence Force FC in 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One

Published on December 9, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Philadelphia Union News Release


CHESTER, Pa. - The Philadelphia Union will begin their 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup run against Defence Force FC in Round One, Concacaf announced today. The Union will travel to Trinidad and Tobago for the first leg before returning to Subaru Park for the second. The dates for the Union's two legs of Round One will be announced by the confederation in the near future. The tournament will crown the Confederation's club champion and determine the second of four regional representatives that will qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup 2029.

The Round One matchup marks the first time that the Union and Defence Force FC have ever played in a friendly or competitive fixture. The Trinidad and Tobago side earned the 27th and final berth in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup after finishing third in the Caribbean Cup. Comprised largely of recruits from the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, the club is the island's most successful team with 20 national championships and remains its only Concacaf title winner, lifting the trophy in 1978 and again as part of a historic treble in 1985. The winner of the Round One matchup between the Union and Defence Force FC will advance to the Round of 16 to face the winner of Club America vs. C.D. Olimpia.

Currently ranked 11th out of 187 teams in the Concacaf Club Ranking Index, the Union earned their fourth-ever qualification to the 61st edition of the Champions Cup after clinching their second Supporters' Shield in club history. Philadelphia, which has reached the semifinals of the tournament twice (2020 and 2022), is one of nine MLS clubs set to compete in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, the 27-team continental tournament held from February through May 2026.

The Concacaf Champions Cup continues to be played in a direct elimination knockout stage format and is composed of five rounds: Round One, Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Final. The first four stages each include home and away play, while the Final, where the region's Champion will be crowned, is played as a single-leg match.

2026 Schedule

Round One: February 3-5 (Week 1), February 10-12 (Week 2), February 17-19 (Week 3), February 24-26 (Week 4)

Round of 16: March 10-12, March 17-19

Quarterfinals: April 7-9, April 14-16

Semifinals: April 28-30, May 5-7

Final: May 30

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