Carry the Charge | Materials of the Match: Charlotte FC vs. Philadelphia Union

The international break is over and The Crown is back!

Charlotte FC is set to welcome the 2025 Supporters’ Shield champions Philadelphia Union this weekend in the fourth leg of its five-match homestand. Kickoff from Bank of America Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Let’s take a look at this weekend’s Materials of the Match presented by Rubbermaid to see how Charlotte FC can keep climbing the standings:

Ride the Hot Hand(s)

The Crown’s offense caught fire in its last time out against Red Bull New York, notching a Club-record six goals thanks to five separate goal scorers. Since returning to Bank of America Stadium, players such as Pep Biel (3G, 1A) and Idan Toklomati (2G) and Ashley Westwood (3A) have all begun to find their form. With players from all across the pitch catching fire, it makes things incredibly difficult for opposing backlines to shut The Crown down. If Charlotte FC continues its offensive form, three points are not far out of reach this weekend.

Home Cookin’

After shaking off a bit of early season rust, Charlotte FC have found their groove on the offensive and defensive end, especially when looking at matches at the Fortress. The Crown has posted an unbeaten record (2W-0L-1D) so far in 2026 and have outscored their opponents 9-2. Under the gaffer, CLTFC has held its foes to a goal or less in 28 of the last 37 regular season matches at Bank of America Stadium.

Be Wary of the Union

While Philadelphia has not had its greatest start in 2026, a winless five-match run, that does not mean that Charlotte FC should take this match lightly. The Union have been one of the more successful and contending teams in recent years, winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2025 and 2020, as well as a run to the MLS Cup Final in 2022. In its regular season losses, four of the five have only been by one goal, and the other a 3-1 loss at Atlanta. Expect a hard-fought match, but one where The Crown should aim to walk away with three points.