Major League Soccer announced today that Philadelphia Union Homegrown midfielder Cavan Sullivan has been named a finalist for both the Landon Donovan MLS MVP and MLS Young Player of the Year awards as part of the 2026 MLS Year-End Awards.
At 17 years old, Sullivan becomes the youngest player in MLS history and the first teenager ever named a finalist for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award. He is also one of only two players league-wide to be named a finalist for multiple MLS Year-End Awards in 2026.
Sullivan is one of five finalists for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award alongside Evander (FC Cincinnati), Guilherme (Houston Dynamo FC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF), and Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC). He is also one of three finalists for MLS Young Player of the Year, joining Julian Hall (New York Red Bulls) and Adri Mehmeti (New York Red Bulls).
The Homegrown midfielder enjoyed a historic 2026 regular season, finishing with nine goals and 14 assists, becoming the first teenager in MLS history to record 23 goal contributions in a single season. Sullivan's 23 goal contributions established a new MLS single-season record by a teenager and helped lead Philadelphia to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
In addition to his success with the Union, Sullivan continued to make history on the international stage, becoming the youngest goal scorer in U.S. Men's National Team history during an international friendly victory over Mexico earlier this season.
A product of the Philadelphia Union Academy, Sullivan's emergence has further solidified the club's reputation as one of Major League Soccer's premier player development organizations. His recognition marks another milestone for the Union's Academy-to-first-team pathway and highlights the growing impact of Homegrown talent across MLS.
The finalists for MLS Year-End Awards were determined by votes from MLS club technical staffs, MLS players, and select media members, with each voting group accounting for one-third of the final results. Winners will be announced throughout the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Sullivan and the Union are currently preparing for their Round One Best-of-3 Series against the New England Revolution in the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs.
