Ernst Tanner remains away from Philadelphia Union despite his MLS suspension officially ending on 1 June, with multiple sources telling the Guardian this week that the former sporting director has yet to complete the restorative practices training ordered by the league as a condition of his return.

The background to Tanner's suspension

Tanner was banned without pay by Major League Soccer following a league investigation that found he had violated what the league described as "policies and standards of professional conduct required of League and Club leadership". That inquiry, which wrapped up in March, was actually the second time MLS had looked into the German executive's conduct. The first investigation followed a complaint from the MLS Players Association alleging multiple instances of racist, sexist and homophobic behaviour — a complaint the league initially said it could not substantiate before the Guardian's own reporting late last year shed further light on those allegations and prompted the league to reopen its inquiry.

Tanner has consistently denied the allegations made against him. MLS declined to comment on his current status when approached this week, and the Union failed to respond to repeated requests for comment.

Club in disarray on and off the pitch

The situation off the pitch mirrors what has been an extraordinary collapse on it. Philadelphia sit bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference and are enduring one of the worst campaigns in the club's history. Head coach Bradley Carnell was sacked last week as the franchise attempted to arrest a record-breaking slump, with former academy director Jon Scheer handed the sporting director role in Tanner's ongoing absence.

Owner Jay Sugarman addressed Tanner's position at the press conference confirming those changes. "Ernst right now is still in the restorative process," Sugarman said. "We're going to wait to see how that plays out. The reports we've gotten so far is that he's taken it incredibly seriously." Sugarman also noted that Tanner had been planning to return to Germany at the conclusion of his contract anyway, adding that time was running short. When pressed on whether Tanner might take on a different role at the club, Sugarman described any such discussion as premature.

A complicated legacy

It is a troubling end to what had, on paper, been a remarkably successful tenure. Tanner was the architect of a Union side widely regarded as one of MLS's shrewdest operations — a club that routinely punched above its financial weight and built one of the league's most highly regarded academy systems. That academy has produced several players now representing the United States at this summer's World Cup on home soil.

Yet the club Tanner built is now in freefall. Philadelphia do not return to action until 22 July, when they face the New York Red Bulls, giving new management some breathing room to stabilise things — though with Tanner's future entirely unresolved and the restorative training process still incomplete, the uncertainty at the top of the organisation shows no sign of clearing.

  • Suspension ended: 1 June 2026
  • Training status: Not completed, per sources
  • New sporting director: Jon Scheer (former academy director)
  • Next fixture: v New York Red Bulls, 22 July

Whether Tanner formally returns in any capacity before his contract expires or parts ways with the club entirely, the noises out of Philadelphia suggest the chapter is drawing to a close — just not quite on anyone's terms.

Frequently asked

Why was Ernst Tanner suspended by MLS?
MLS suspended Tanner after a league investigation found he had violated policies and standards of professional conduct required of club and league leadership. The probe followed earlier allegations of racist, sexist and homophobic behaviour, which Tanner has denied.
Has Ernst Tanner returned to Philadelphia Union after his ban?
No. Despite his suspension officially ending on 1 June 2026, multiple sources say Tanner has not resumed duties at the club, reportedly because he has yet to finish the restorative practices training ordered by MLS.
Who is running Philadelphia Union while Tanner is away?
Former academy director Jon Scheer has been named sporting director in Tanner's absence. The club also sacked head coach Bradley Carnell last week as Philadelphia sit bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference.