Cavan Sullivan Tops 2026 MLS 22 Under 22 Rankings

Cavan Sullivan of the Philadelphia Union leads the rankings as the youngest-ever winner at 17 years and 22 days old. The list represents a total of 22 players, including:

- 15 homegrown players

- 6 international players

- The Philadelphia Union and Red Bull New York have the highest representation with three players each.

- The average age of the players is approximately 20 years.

The full rankings are as follows:

1. Cavan Sullivan, Philadelphia Union, 17, Midfielder

2. Julian Hall, Red Bull New York, 18, Forward

3. Adri Mehmeti, Red Bull New York, 17, Midfielder

4. Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Chicago Fire FC, 21, Defender

5. Justin Ellis, Orlando City, 19, Forward

6. Peyton Miller, New England Revolution, 18, Defender/Forward

7. Neil Pierre, Philadelphia Union, 19, Defender

8. Niko Tsakiris, San Jose Earthquakes, 21, Midfielder

9. Manu Duah, San Diego FC, 21, Defender

10. Brooklyn Raines, New England Revolution, 21, Midfielder

11. Frankie Westfield, Philadelphia Union, 20, Defender

12. Ronald Donkor, Red Bull New York, 21, Midfielder

13. Taha Habroune, Columbus Crew, 20, Midfielder

14. Mateo Silvetti, Inter Miami CF, 20, Forward

15. Bruno Caicedo, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 21, Forward

16. Owen Wolff, Sporting Kansas City, 21, Midfielder

17. Reed Baker-Whiting, Nashville SC, 21, Defender

18. Cooper Sanchez, Atlanta United, 18, Midfielder

19. Ervin Torres, Austin FC, 18, Midfielder

20. Jude Terry, LAFC, 18, Midfielder

21. Matthew Corcoran, Nashville SC, 20, Midfielder

22. Kaick Ferreira, FC Dallas, 20, Midfielder

Eligibility criteria required players to be 21 or younger by the end of the 2026 MLS regular season, with a birth date on or after November 8, 2004. Voting took place from October 5-9, with 57 ballots submitted and participation from 20 of the 30 MLS teams, which included head coaches and technical staff.

Sullivan's emergence comes amid a standout season, establishing himself as a key player for the Philadelphia Union and the US Men's National Team with impressive performance stats. He surpasses the previous youngest winner, Alphonso Davies, who was 17 years and 355 days old in 2018.

Julian Hall has also made headlines this year, having been selected as an MLS All-Star with standout performance metrics, while Adri Mehmeti has gained recognition for his skill and adaptability.

Mbekezeli Mbokazi, the 21-year-old center back for Chicago Fire FC, stands out as a top defender, while others like Justin Ellis and Peyton Miller continue to show promise, contributing significantly to their teams' success this season.