D.C. United

D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. The club competes in Major League Soccer as a member of the Eastern Conference. Since it started in 1994, D.C. United has become one of the most successful teams in American soccer history. The team has won many important trophies, including four MLS Cups, four Supporters' Shields, and three U.S. Open Cups.

In the late 1990s, D.C. United was one of the best teams in Major League Soccer. Great players like Raúl Díaz Arce, Marco Etcheverry, Jaime Moreno, and Ben Olsen, along with head coach Bruce Arena, helped the team win many titles. The club played most of its home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium until 2018, when it moved to its own soccer-specific stadium, Audi Field.

After changing ownership, D.C. United faced many challenges and had several poor seasons. Even with new players like Wayne Rooney and young talent such as Bill Hamid and Kevin Paredes, the team struggled. In 2020, long-time coach Ben Olsen left, and the club has had several coaches since then. As of 2026, the team is led by manager René Weiler.

History

Main article: History of D.C. United

Before the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the United States Soccer Federation agreed to help create a new professional league, which became Major League Soccer (MLS). In 1994, MLS chose Washington, D.C. to be one of its first teams, naming it D.C. United after famous European clubs like Manchester United and Leeds United.

The team started in 1996 under coach Bruce Arena, who had great success in college soccer. D.C. United quickly became one of MLS's best teams, winning many titles in its first few years. These included league championships, a U.S. Open Cup, and international trophies like the Copa Interamericana.

The team had many strong players in the late 1990s, such as Jaime Moreno, Marco Etcheverry, and Raul Diaz Arce. Their first game was on April 6, 1996, against San Jose Clash, now known as the Earthquakes. Though they lost that game, they went on to win big prizes that same year.

Later years saw ups and downs. After some tough times, the team returned to success under coach Piotr Nowak and later Ben Olsen. They won more titles and made deep playoff runs. In 2018, they opened a new stadium called Audi Field.

Recently, the team has faced challenges, finishing near the bottom of the league in some seasons. In 2021, they tried a new style under coach Hernán Losada, but he was let go after a short time. They then hired Wayne Rooney, but still struggled to make the playoffs. As of 2025, the team continues to work toward better seasons.

Colors and badge

The team's colors and original logo were announced on October 17, 1995, in New York City. Black and white are D.C. United's main colors, but the team is also called the "Black-and-Red" because red is used to add detail to the home jersey. White is the main color of the team's away uniform. The three stripes on the shoulder — white at home and black on the road — show that the team's uniforms are made by Adidas. In 2011, the team added a mostly red third uniform with black details to wear several times each season. The white and red colors match the flag of Washington, D.C., and the stripes also look like those on the flag.

The team's original badge from 1996 showed the team's name, D.C. United, above a black bald eagle facing right on a red background. The eagle held three soccer balls over three white stars, representing the three areas around Washington, D.C. The eagle stands for the team's speed and strength. The badge was changed before the 1998 season, turning the eagle to face left and using three wing feathers instead of stars. In the center of the eagle was a gold star and a soccer ball, showing the team's win in Major League Soccer's first cup in 1996. Starting in 2005, the badge could have four silver stars above it for each MLS Cup the team won.

On December 10, 2015, D.C. United showed a new badge designed by Peter Horridge, with a design inspired by the D.C. flag and more active-looking wings.

Sponsorship

Consulting firm Guidehouse became the jersey sponsor in a long-term partnership starting on February 15, 2024.

Stadium

RFK Stadium (1996–2017)

Main article: Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium

Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (RFK) was D.C. United's home from the team's first season in 1996 until 2017. Built in 1961, RFK was used for baseball and American football. It also hosted soccer games, including matches in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Audi Field (2018–present)

Main article: Audi Field

Audi Field is a special stadium just for soccer in Southwest, Washington, D.C.. It can hold 20,000 fans and opened on July 14, 2018, with a game against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The stadium is named after Audi, a car company.

Other stadiums

D.C. United has sometimes played games at other stadiums, like Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Maryland, especially when Audi Field was still being built.

Club culture

Supporters and mascot

D.C. United has six major supporters groups, including La Barra Brava, the Screaming Eagles, and others. These groups bring excitement to the games. La Barra Brava, meaning "The Brave Fans," was started in 1995 by fans from the Washington, D.C. area to add a fun, South American style to the matches.

The team's mascot is Talon, an animated bald eagle.

Rivalries

D.C. United's biggest rival is the New York Red Bulls. They compete for the Atlantic Cup each season. D.C. United also has rivalries with the New England Revolution and the Philadelphia Union. There is also a special competition with the Charleston Battery for the Coffee Pot Cup.

Ownership

When Major League Soccer began in 1995, a group led by billionaire George Soros owned D.C. United. Kevin Payne helped organize this group. In 2001, the team was sold to Anschutz Entertainment Group, run by Philip Anschutz, who also owned other MLS teams like the Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo.

In 2007, new owners took over, including real estate developer Victor MacFarlane and William H.C. Chang. Over time, Chang became the sole owner before partnering with Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir and sports executive Jason Levien. Levien eventually became the main owner.

In 2021, football player Mark Ingram II joined as an investor, followed by rapper Yo Gotti later that year. In 2022, local businessman Devin Talbott also became part of the ownership group.

Broadcasting

Television

D.C. United matches not shown on national TV channels like ESPN, Fox Sports, and Univision were broadcast by NBC Sports Washington until 2022. Spanish-language viewers could watch on TeleXitos affiliate WZDC-DT2 (channel 44.2). Dave Johnson was the main English commentator, and Moises Linares provided Spanish commentary.

NBCSW held the TV rights from 1996 to 2015. Later, D.C. United switched to WJLA 24/7 News for the 2016 to 2018 seasons and again in 2020. In 2019, they tried a subscription service called FloSports, but fans found it too expensive and full of problems. D.C. United ended that deal before the last game of the season. Starting in 2023, most D.C. United games are on Apple TV, with a few exceptions shown on national TV.

Radio

iHeartMedia holds the radio rights, with games on WMZQ-FM-HD2 and W284CQ (104.7 FM). Spanish audio is also available on iHeartRadio. Dave Johnson is the English radio commentator, and Bruce Murray provides color commentary.

D.C. United’s first radio partner was WMET in 2003. Later, games moved to WTOP, then returned to radio in 2014 with CBS Radio before ending that contract after 2017.

Players

Main article: All-time D.C. United roster

Main article: List of D.C. United records and statistics

The D.C. United Academy is the youth and development program for D.C. United. It includes the team Loudoun United FC and academy teams for younger players. Some players from this academy have gone on to play for national teams, like Bill Hamid for the U.S. national team and Andy Najar for Honduras.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Academy

The academy and Pre-Academy teams play in MLS Next.

Team management

Front office

Technical staff

Head coaching history

Main article: List of D.C. United head coaches

Honors

D.C. United is a soccer team based in Washington, D.C. They play in Major League Soccer and have won many important awards. They have won four MLS Cups, which are the league championships, and four Supporters' Shields for having the best regular season record. They also have three U.S. Open Cup titles and six Eastern Conference championships. Internationally, they have won one CONCACAF Champions Cup and one Copa Interamericana, making them the only U.S. team to win the latter.

Record

Main article: List of D.C. United records and statistics

See also: List of D.C. United first-round draft picks

Seasons

Main article: List of D.C. United seasons

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by D.C. United. For the full season-by-season history, see List of D.C. United seasons.

**^**1. Avg. attendance include statistics from league matches only.
**^**2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League, MLS Cup Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, MLS is Back tournament, CONCACAF Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and other competitive continental matches.

Player records

Statistics below show the all-time regular-season club leaders. Bold indicates active D.C. United players.

As of July 15, 2025

Team MVP

MLS All-Time Best XI

Four players who were with D.C. United during the 1990s were chosen in 2005 as members of the MLS All-Time Best XI:

• DF: Jeff Agoos: D.C. United (1996–2000)
• DF: Eddie Pope: D.C. United (1996–2002)
• MF: Marco Etcheverry: D.C. United (1996–2003)
• FW: Jaime Moreno: D.C. United (1996–2002, 2004–10)

Hall of Tradition

In 2003, D.C. United introduced the "Hall of Tradition" (formerly "Tradition of Excellence"), an honor bestowed upon players, coaches & front office staff deemed by United to have been crucial to the team's success. People are listed in the order in which they joined the club.