Delaware World Cup player Mark McKenzie return to MLS's Union expected

Mark McKenzie, a center back from Delaware, is set to return to the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer after playing for Toulouse in France’s Ligue 1. The 27-year-old, who launched his professional soccer career in the U.S. and went on to play in the 2026 World Cup, will join the Union for an estimated $2.5 million transfer fee, according to The Athletic.

He will return to the team after his contract expires in January, allowing him to participate in the Major League Soccer’s inaugural summer-to-spring 2026-27 season. McKenzie, a homegrown player for the Union who began his career with their academy system at age 13, had previously made 30 appearances for the U.S. senior men’s national team.

He was initially not offered a first-team contract by the Union after graduating from Newark Charter School in 2017 and attended Wake Forest University before rejoining the Union in January 2018. McKenzie was voted Delaware's Athlete of the Year in 2020 and made Major League Soccer’s Best XI that year as well as being runner-up in its Defender of the Year voting. He transferred to Belgian club KRC Genk in January 2021 and to Toulouse in 2024.