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Bradley Carnell, recipient of the 2025 MLS Coach of the Year award, has been fired by the Philadelphia Union as part of a major overhaul following the club’s historically poor first half of the season.
In addition, Jon Scheer has been promoted from interim to full-time sporting director at the club. It is unclear whether former director Ernst Tanner is still part of the Union.
Unionen’s Ve Well-documented
Carnell won the award after helping the low-budget Union roar back into the play-offs in 2025 and win the Supporters’ Shield after missing out in 2024.
But the off-season brought big changes, with the club parting ways with several key players, including leading scorer Tai Baribo, who now plays for DC United.
Despite those departures and an injury to star player Quinn Sullivan, Philadelphia was still expected to be competitive this season.
Instead, things quickly fell off the rails. The Union are the only club in MLS sitting in double figures with seven, and their attack has scored just 18 goals – four of which came last weekend – through 15 games.
“I would like to thank the fans, players, staff and everyone involved at this club for the support and commitment during my time here,” Carnell said in a statement.
“I am proud of what we accomplished together and grateful for the relationships and memories we have built along the way. To my staff and especially the players, thank you for your hard work and dedication through both the highs and the challenges, you inspired me every day and I appreciate the opportunity to have been a part of this team.
It is the second time in Carnell’s career that a promising start has given way to a sharp downturn. He led St. Louis City SC to the top of the Western Conference in their inaugural season, only to be sacked during a struggling second campaign.
Changes also at the top
The Union also made a significant change at the top of the organisation, with Scheer now set to oversee football operations as the club’s full-time sporting director.
He takes over from Tanner, who was suspended by MLS following an investigation into offensive and discriminatory remarks.
Prior to this controversy, Tanner was widely regarded as one of the league’s best sporting directors, having kept Philadelphia competitive despite the club typically operating with one of MLS’s lowest payrolls.
Scheer, who has been with the Union since 2018, is highly regarded in the organization.
“Jon has consistently demonstrated strong leadership, a deep understanding of our club philosophy and a clear vision for the future of the Philadelphia Union,” Jay Sugarman, Philadelphia Union Principal Owner, said in a statement.
“As we enter a new chapter for the organization, we are confident in Jon’s ability to lead our sporting activities and get us back on track with a culture centered around development, ambition and sustained success.”
What Scheer said
“I am honored to assume the role of athletic director for the Philadelphia Union and would like to thank our ownership group, as well as the mentors, colleagues and employees who have supported me throughout my time with the organization,” Scheer said in a statement.
“This club has built a strong identity rooted in development, hard work and a winning culture and I understand the responsibility that comes with driving that vision forward. I am committed to helping drive the Union back to the standard our supporters, organization and community expect.”
What comes next?
Ryan Richter will take on the role of interim coach for the club as it searches for its next permanent coach.
“Although the search for a new head coach begins immediately, we have full confidence in Ryan’s ability to lead the team through this transition, given his knowledge of the players and strong commitment to the club’s philosophy and style of play,” Sugarman said.
Richter has deep ties to the Union, having first joined the club as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft.
After a seven-year professional career, he returned to Philadelphia in 2018 and worked his way through several coaching roles in the organization. He served as the first team’s assistant head coach from 2022–24 before being named Union II head coach in January 2025.
The team will resume action after the MLS World Cup break on July 22.
2026 FIFA World Cup: How to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread over three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament games will be broadcast live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every game streaming live and on-demand on both FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, are televised in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The June 11 opener between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as will the USA’s June 12 opener against Paraguay (9 p.m. ET).
