Philadelphia Union
Mark McKenzie officially returning to the Philadelphia Union in January
Mark McKenzie’s return to his hometown club was made official on Wednesday with the announcement by the Philadelphia Union that they will be re-acquiring the former MLS Best XI defender as a designated player in January.
The 27-year-old from Bear, Del. has spent the past five years in Europe, playing first for Genk in Belgium before moving to Toulouse in France. The Philadelphia Union Academy and YSC Academy grad was most recently on the United States Men’s National Team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Bringing Mark back to Philadelphia is a significant moment for our club and reflects the values and ambition of this city and our organization,” Philadelphia Union Sporting Director Jon Scheer said in a news release. “This is an exciting time for our club, but also a critical period for the Union as we continue building for the future. Adding a player of Mark’s quality in the prime of his career, along with his leadership and commitment to continued growth and elevating those around him, will strengthen our club’s foundation moving forward as we pursue our goals of winning and reaching new heights.”
Though McKenzie’s re-acquisition is a first for an academy grad, it’s a similar move to when the team acquired Alejandro Bedoya a decade ago from Nantes in France when he was a USMNT player coming off a successful spell in Europe. Bedoya was the team’s first big overseas acquisition and has provided extensive leadership both on and off the field to the team as they’ve grown from perennial mid-table disappointment to consistently among the league’s best.
“This club, this community, and these fans have played such an important role in shaping who I am, both as a player and as a person,” McKenzie said in a news release. “When I left, I did so with the goal of challenging myself at the highest levels in Europe and representing my country, but no matter where my career has taken me, I’ve always carried Philadelphia and the Union with me. To now have the opportunity to come home, wear this badge again, and help build on the success of this club is incredibly meaningful.”
Terms of the deal have not been disclosed but McKenzie’s contract runs through the 2029-2030 season with a club option for the 2030-2031 season. His arrival will also stabilize a back line that could sooner than later see the departure of recently capped USMNT defenders Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield.
McKenzie was born in Bronx, N.Y. but relocated to Delaware when he was five and played with Wilmington Rangers and Delaware FC prior to joining the Philadelphia Union Academy full-time in 2013. He was a regular starter with Bethlehem Steel FC before heading to college at Wake Forest and returned to the club as a homegrown signing after one season in Winston-Salem. He made 48 appearances for the first team and was a Best XI selection and Defender of the Year finalist his last season in Chester in 2020.
MLS will be running a 14-game sprint season from February to May 2027 before starting the new summer to spring schedule in July.
