Cavan Sullivan has made history by being named MLS Player of the Month for September 2026, becoming the youngest player to win the award at 17 years and two days old. He surpasses the previous record set by Orlando City's Daryl Dike, who was 20 years and 98 days old when he won the accolade in August 2020.
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Sullivan, a midfielder for the Philadelphia Union, led all MLS players with nine goal contributions in September, including four goals and five assists across four matches. His five assists tied for the league lead, while his four goals ranked third.
During the month, the Union achieved a perfect record of 5 wins, 0 losses, and 0 draws, amassing a league-high 20 goals and a goal differential of +15. Sullivan played a key role in this success, scoring in a 2-0 win against CF Montréal, providing three assists in a 5-0 victory over FC Cincinnati, and netting two goals along with one assist in another 5-0 win against San Diego FC, earning Player of the Matchday honors. He concluded the month with a goal and an assist in a thrilling 4-3 comeback win against Sporting Kansas City.
Sullivan has now recorded 7 goals and 12 assists in 1,450 regular-season minutes. His 19 total goal contributions tie him with Alphonso Davies' 2018 total for the second-most by a teenager in a single MLS season.
In September, Sullivan also received his first call-up to the US men's national team, where he became the second-youngest player to start in a 4-1 victory over Peru and also participated in a 4-2 win against Chile.
Following the international break, the Philadelphia Union will host Real Salt Lake on October 10 at Subaru Park.