Last Updated on September 25, 2026 by Siara Costa
Kai Wagner is a German professional footballer best known for his long association with Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer. Born on February 15, 1997, in Geislingen an der Steige, Germany, Wagner developed through German football before moving to the United States in 2019 and establishing himself as one of Major League Soccer’s leading left-backs.
Away from football, Wagner is a devoted family man. He is married to Jenny, the younger sister of former Bundesliga striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga, and the couple have three children: two sons, Liam and Levi, and a daughter named Leya. Wagner has spoken openly about how important his wife and children are to his career decisions, particularly his decision to make Philadelphia his long-term home.
Who Is Kai Wagner’s Wife?
Kai Wagner’s wife is Jenny Wagner, who comes from a well-known German football family. Jenny is the younger sister of former Hamburger SV and Hertha BSC striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga.
Kai has explained that he met Jenny while he was playing in Germany. According to Wagner, they met through one of his teammates during his time with Schalke 04. Their relationship continued when he moved to Würzburger Kickers, and Jenny later moved with him to the United States after he signed for Philadelphia Union.
The transition from Germany to the United States represented a significant change for both of them. Wagner has credited Jenny with supporting his career and helping him adjust to life abroad. He has described her as someone who motivates him to get the best out of himself while also giving him an honest opinion when she believes he can improve.
Jenny’s own experience of growing up around professional football also appears to have helped her understand the demands of Kai’s career. Her brother Pierre-Michel Lasogga spent many years playing professionally in Germany and abroad, meaning football was already a major part of her family life long before she moved to Philadelphia.
Kai Wagner and Jenny’s Marriage
Kai and Jenny have been together since before Wagner became an established Major League Soccer player. German media were already describing Jenny as his wife during the early years of his Philadelphia Union career.
The couple subsequently established their family in the Philadelphia area. Despite originally coming from Germany, Wagner has repeatedly explained that the city and surrounding community became a second home for the family.
Their connection to Philadelphia became especially clear in 2026. Wagner briefly left Philadelphia Union to play for Birmingham City in England, fulfilling his ambition of returning to European football. However, only months later, he chose to return to Philadelphia.
Wagner explained that returning was first and foremost a family decision. His wife and children had developed strong roots in the Philadelphia area, and the family was excited to return to the community where their children had been born and raised.
Kai Wagner’s Children
Kai Wagner and his wife Jenny have three children: Liam, Levi and Leya. Their two oldest children are boys, while their youngest child is a daughter.
Wagner has described himself as a family-oriented person and has said becoming a father significantly changed his perspective on football and major career decisions.
Liam Wagner
Liam is Kai and Jenny Wagner’s eldest child. He was born in Philadelphia on March 6, 2020.
Liam arrived during Wagner’s early years in Major League Soccer. In interviews following his birth, Kai explained that becoming a father had significantly changed his daily life and priorities.
Wagner was recovering from an injury around the period following Liam’s birth, which gave him additional time at home with his wife and newborn son.
As Liam grew older, he became part of the family life Wagner frequently referenced when discussing why Philadelphia had become so important to him.
Levi Wagner
Levi is Kai and Jenny’s second son. Wagner revealed in 2021 that he and Jenny were expecting their second child, and later official Philadelphia Union coverage confirmed Levi as the couple’s second boy.
Like his older brother, Levi was born in Philadelphia. Kai has emphasized that having his children born in the city strengthened his connection to the United States and particularly to the Philadelphia area.
Although Wagner occasionally discusses family life in interviews, he and Jenny generally avoid placing their children excessively in the public spotlight.
Leya Wagner
Leya is Kai and Jenny Wagner’s youngest child and their only daughter.
Philadelphia Union confirmed that the couple welcomed Leya after the births of their sons Liam and Levi. She was also born in Philadelphia, meaning all three Wagner children were born in the same city where their father became an established Major League Soccer player.
When Wagner returned to Philadelphia in 2026, he specifically emphasized the future of his three children as one of the reasons the move felt right for the family.
Why Philadelphia Is Important to Kai Wagner’s Family
Kai Wagner originally arrived in Philadelphia from Germany in 2019. What initially represented an overseas career opportunity gradually became something much more permanent.
Wagner and Jenny established their home in the Greater Philadelphia area, particularly in South Jersey, where they developed close friendships within their neighborhood. The couple eventually regarded some of those friends as an extended family away from Germany.
All three of their children were born in Philadelphia, making the city central to important milestones in their lives.
Wagner has repeatedly described Philadelphia as home. Although Germany remains the country where he grew up, his years in the United States, the births of his children and the relationships his family established within the community created a powerful emotional connection to the area.
Kai and Jenny Wagner’s Community Work
Kai and Jenny have also become involved in community initiatives around Philadelphia, particularly efforts supporting children facing serious illnesses.
The couple have supported pediatric cancer patients through activities connected with Philadelphia Union’s community programs and their own personal involvement.
Their support has included visits, communication with affected families and involvement in charitable activities designed to provide encouragement to children receiving treatment.
This community involvement further strengthened the Wagner family’s connection to Philadelphia beyond football.
Who Are Kai Wagner’s Parents?
Kai Wagner was born in Geislingen an der Steige in the German state of Baden-Württemberg and grew up in the region surrounding Ulm.
However, the identities of Kai Wagner’s parents have not been reliably documented in major public profiles or interviews.
Unlike Wagner’s wife and children, who have been discussed openly in interviews and official Philadelphia Union coverage, his parents have remained outside the public spotlight.
Kai Wagner’s Father
Kai Wagner’s father has not been publicly identified by name in reliable mainstream or club sources.
There is also very little verified information concerning his profession or his involvement in Kai’s early football career. Consequently, any names associated with Wagner’s father on unsourced websites or social-media accounts should be treated cautiously.
Kai Wagner’s Mother
Kai Wagner’s mother has similarly remained private. Reliable football profiles do not provide her name, profession or detailed personal background.
Because Wagner became more widely known after leaving Germany for Major League Soccer, much of the media attention surrounding him has focused on his professional career and the family he later built with Jenny rather than his childhood household.
Kai Wagner’s Siblings
There is no reliable public information confirming whether Kai Wagner has brothers or sisters.
Major interviews with Wagner do not appear to identify any siblings, and official Philadelphia Union profiles concentrate primarily on his wife Jenny and their three children.
This should not be interpreted as confirmation that Wagner is an only child. It simply means that information about possible siblings has not been sufficiently documented by authoritative public sources.
Is Pierre-Michel Lasogga Kai Wagner’s Brother?
Pierre-Michel Lasogga is not Kai Wagner’s biological brother. He is Wagner’s brother-in-law because Kai is married to Lasogga’s younger sister, Jenny.
Lasogga is a former German youth international striker who played for clubs including Hertha BSC and Hamburger SV before continuing his career abroad.
Wagner has spoken positively about his relationship with his brother-in-law. Their family connection has also attracted attention in the German football media because Jenny grew up in a family already closely connected with the professional game.
Kai Wagner’s Childhood in Germany
Kai Wagner was born on February 15, 1997, in Geislingen an der Steige, Germany. He began playing football at a young age with SV Lonsee before moving into the youth setup of SSV Ulm 1846.
He later spent time with FC Augsburg before returning to Ulm and beginning his senior career. Wagner subsequently represented Schalke 04 II and Würzburger Kickers before receiving the opportunity that transformed his professional career.
Philadelphia Union signed Wagner in February 2019. At the time, moving to the United States was a significant step for both Kai and Jenny, but the move eventually became central to their family story.
Kai Wagner’s Family and His Return to Philadelphia Union
Wagner left Philadelphia after the 2025 season to join Birmingham City in England, giving him the opportunity to experience English football.
Although he enjoyed the sporting challenge, his family maintained a strong attachment to Philadelphia. In July 2026, Wagner completed a return to Philadelphia Union only months after leaving.
He explained that the decision was heavily influenced by his family. Jenny and their children were happy to return, and Wagner emphasized that Philadelphia had become home for them.
For Kai, the move illustrated how much his priorities had changed since becoming a husband and father. Football remained important, but decisions about where to play were increasingly connected to stability and happiness for his wife and three children.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kai Wagner’s Family
Who is Kai Wagner’s wife?
Kai Wagner is married to Jenny Wagner, the younger sister of former German professional footballer Pierre-Michel Lasogga.
How did Kai Wagner meet his wife?
Wagner has said that he met Jenny through one of his teammates while he was playing for Schalke 04 in Germany.
How many children does Kai Wagner have?
Kai Wagner and Jenny have three children: Liam, Levi and Leya.
Who is Kai Wagner’s eldest child?
Kai Wagner’s eldest child is his son Liam, who was born in Philadelphia in March 2020.
Does Kai Wagner have a daughter?
Yes. Kai and Jenny have one daughter named Leya. She is their youngest child.
Who is Kai Wagner’s other son?
Kai Wagner’s second son is named Levi.
Were Kai Wagner’s children born in Germany?
No. Wagner has publicly stated that all three of his children were born in Philadelphia.
Who are Kai Wagner’s parents?
The names of Kai Wagner’s parents have not been reliably disclosed in established public sources.
Does Kai Wagner have siblings?
No brothers or sisters have been reliably identified in major public reporting about Kai Wagner.
Is Pierre-Michel Lasogga Kai Wagner’s brother?
Pierre-Michel Lasogga is Kai Wagner’s brother-in-law rather than his biological brother. Wagner is married to Lasogga’s younger sister, Jenny.
Where does Kai Wagner’s family live?
Wagner and his family established their home in the Greater Philadelphia area. After spending several months in England during his spell with Birmingham City, the family returned to the Philadelphia area following Wagner’s return to Philadelphia Union in 2026.
Why did Kai Wagner return to Philadelphia?
Wagner said his return was first a family decision as well as a football decision. His wife and children had strong ties to Philadelphia, where all three children were born and where the family had developed a close community.
Siara Costa is a football editor and writer covering both European men’s and women’s football, with a focus on league competitions, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling.
