Overview
D.C. United is MLS's original dynasty, the club that defined what winning looked like in the league's formative years. Playing out of the nation's capital, United built a reputation for tough, tactically disciplined soccer that dominated the late 1990s. Black and red have become synonymous with MLS success, and the club's early trophy haul still stands as a benchmark few franchises have matched. United's supporters are among the league's most storied and vocal.
History & Legacy
Founded in 1994 as an inaugural MLS franchise, D.C. United won the league's first-ever MLS Cup in 1996, then repeated in 1997 while adding the Supporters' Shield to become the first club to complete the league double. United won a third MLS Cup in 1999 and a fourth in 2004, giving them four championships overall — the most of any club through that era. The club has not added to that MLS Cup total since 2004, but its early 1990s-2000s run remains the gold standard of league history.
Source: RateGame Editorial
Founded1994
Championships4 (1996, 1997, 1999, 2004)
Home VenueAudi Field
RivalsNew York Red Bulls (Atlantic Cup), Philadelphia Union
Major Trophies4 MLS Cups, 4 Supporters' Shields
All-Time IconMarco Etcheverry — "El Diablo"
ColorsBlack and red
OwnershipJason Levien & Steve Kaplan (since 2012/2018)