Olivier Mbaizo signed to new contract with options through 2028

One of the Philadelphia Union’s longest tenured players has a new contract that includes options through 2028.

Olivier Mbaizo is one of just five players currently on the roster – Andre Blake, Jack Elliott, Matt Real and Alejandro Bedoya are the others – who was with the team in 2018. Mbaizo spent most of his first two seasons playing in the USL Championship with Bethlehem Steel but he’s been a consistent presence since he passed the 1,000 minute mark for the first time in 2020.

The 27-year-old Cameroonian’s new contract is guaranteed through 2026 with options for 2027 and 2028.

“Olivier has been a consistent contributor to our backline since joining us in 2018” Philadelphia Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner said in a news releasse. “His speed and agility, along with his increasingly accurate passing percentage, continue to make him a valuable asset to the team and we are happy to have come to an agreement.”

Mbaizo made 21 appearances – 12 starts – in 2024 for the Union and registered a pair of assists. He’s split time with Nathan Harriel, who logged a career high 2,375 minutes in 2024 to Mbaizo’s 1,106, his lowest minute total since 2020. His guaranteed compensation, according to the salaries released by the MLSPA, was $423,589 in 2024.

Mbaizo has 14 caps for Cameroon and was on the roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar but didn’t log an appearance. His last international cap came in October 2023 against Russia.