The Philadelphia Union Academy hosted the inaugural Snow Bowl tournament from Feb. 9-14, welcoming top clubs from across Europe and North America to the WSFS Bank Sportsplex in Chester, Pennsylvania.
The competition featured U-15, U-16, and U-18 age groups, bringing global powerhouses such as Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, S.L. Benfica, and Newcastle United to compete against the Union.
The Snow Bowl helped the Union’s oldest academy teams prepare for the 2026 Generation adidas Cup, which will be held from March 27 to April 4 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
“Snow Bowl 2026 was a defining moment for the Philadelphia Union as a leader in youth development on the global stage," Jon Scheer, the Union's director of academy and professional development.
"To welcome some of the biggest and best European academy teams, showcase our world-class facilities and display the elite level of competition, further cemented the power of the Philadelphia Union in youth development. Snow Bowl 2026 wasn’t just big for us; it was big for the game."
Winners from the Snow Bowl are below:
Under-18
Philadelphia Union claimed the U-18 title with a 1-0 victory over Denmark’s Lyngby Boldklub. Gunnar Graham supplied the game-winning goal and Philly's Tyler Gladstone was named U-18 MVP.
Under-16
Portuguese powerhouse SL Benfica captured the U-16 title with a 2-0 victory over Philadelphia Union. Despite the defeat, Philadelphia’s Timoni Gbalajobi finished as the U-16 Golden Boot winner.
Under-15
Mexico’s CF Monterrey lifted the U-15 trophy with a dramatic 4-3 comeback victory over England’s Manchester United.
Fans can learn more about the Snow Bowl here.
