165-604: D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference . Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Supporters' Shields (league regular season), three U.S. Open Cups (domestic cups), and six Eastern Conference championships. In international competitions,
330-442: A U.S. Open Cup (domestic cup) title, a Supporters' Shield (regular season winner), a CONCACAF Champions' Cup (continental championship), and a Copa Interamericana (intercontinental championship) all within the club's first two seasons. During this late 1990's dynasty, the club was led by its "magic triangle" of Jaime Moreno , Marco Etcheverry , and Raul Diaz Arce . Additionally, the club had several U.S. international stars at
495-423: A ball around a rectangular field called a pitch . The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for a total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it
660-628: A stele of c. 375–400 BCE in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus , writing in 228 CE, mentions the Roman ball game harpastum . Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled rugby football , wrestling , and volleyball more than what
825-527: A 12-year contract in February 2017. It was designed by Populous and Marshall Moya Design. Plans for a new stadium dated back to July 2006, when D.C. United proposed building a new stadium along the Anacostia River near Anacostia Park , but disputes with the city government forced the team to consider other sites. The tentative deal for the stadium was announced on July 25, 2013, which would see
990-573: A 20,000–25,000-seat stadium built on the site, costing $ 300 million. It was signed into law on December 30, 2014. Groundbreaking began on February 27, 2017, and the ribbon cutting was on July 9, 2018. Several regional university stadiums have been used by the team for Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches, including Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia , in 1996, and George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, Virginia , in 2010. Similarly,
1155-510: A 30-minute sudden-death period – after the 1985 final required eight 10-minute extra periods – and did not allow penalty kicks in the final, Virginia and Santa Clara were declared co-champions when the game remained tied 1–1 after 150 minutes. The Cavaliers went on to win the 1991 , 1992 , 1993 , and 1994 editions of the tournament, and as the first overall seed were upset in the semifinals in 1995 . The four consecutive championships remains an NCAA record; no other team managed even three in
1320-493: A French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920, women's football in England suffered a blow in 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches, stating that "the game of football
1485-687: A berth into the 2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League , their first Champions League appearance since 2009. In 2014, D.C. United executed a historic turnaround by clinching first place in the Eastern Conference, and going undefeated in CONCACAF Champions League group play, the first time an American club went undefeated in Group Stage of the Champions League. The Eastern Conference regular season title earned
1650-442: A caution ( yellow card ) or dismissal ( red card ). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while
1815-574: A competitive game, and involved the kicking of a mari , a ball made of animal skin. In North America, pasuckuakohowog was a ball game played by the Algonquians ; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals". Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on
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#17327733546551980-505: A deadlock; some competitions may invoke replays . A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shoot-outs (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of
2145-538: A defensive style of play, followed by a diamond 4–4–2 formation focused on counter-attacking soccer. Pundits described the play as "Bennyball", and a soccer-style form of moneyball. During Olsen's coaching career, he would qualify for the playoffs six times, with the furthest being the Eastern Conference final, and win one major title, the U.S. Open Cup in 2013. The club qualified for the CONCACF Champions League twice during his tenure, where they reached
2310-546: A downturn in the team's fortunes. After reaching MLS Cup for the club's first four seasons, the 2000 season saw the club lose nine of their first twelve matches. United ultimately finished in 11th out of 12 teams in MLS during the 2000 season , missing the 2000 MLS Cup Playoffs altogether, for the first time in franchise history. Outside of MLS play, the club suffered early exits in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, losing in
2475-753: A four-match losing streak and a six-match winless streak to close out the regular season cost the club a chance at the MLS Cup Playoffs . Despite not making the playoffs, De Rosario won the MLS Most Valuable Player Award (now known as the Landon Donovan MVP Award). During the 2011–12 offseason, minority owners of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team, Jason Levien and Erick Thohir were named new majority owners, buying Will Chang 's majority stake in
2640-545: A global brand and build a soccer-specific stadium for the club. On June 4, 2021, NFL running back Mark Ingram II joined DC United's ownership group as an investor. In 2021, Rapper Yo Gotti became a minority owner of D.C United. Local investor and entrepreneur Devin Talbott joined the ownership group in 2022. Rights to D.C. United matches not covered by one of MLS national television partners ( ESPN , Fox Sports , and Univision ) were held by NBC Sports Washington until
2805-400: A goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. Video assistant referees (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during
2970-640: A latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic. As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB , the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units . The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with
3135-694: A longstanding rivalry, another one of the top rivals of the Virginia Cavaliers is the Virginia Tech Hokies . The series between the two has been heavily dominated by the Cavaliers, who boast a 31–2–5 record and 14-match unbeaten streak against the Hokies. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. – Player has represented their country at
3300-624: A majority of its matches at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium from 1996 until 2017 before moving to the soccer-specific stadium , Audi Field , in 2018, where it has played since. D.C. United was one of the premier franchises in Major League Soccer, and in American soccer in the late 1990s, where it won the bulk of its trophies. Players such as Raúl Díaz Arce , Marco Etcheverry , Roy Lassiter , Jaime Moreno , Ben Olsen , and Eddie Pope , along with head coach, Bruce Arena , helped
3465-529: A meeting attended by representatives from Eton , Harrow , Rugby , Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club , formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to
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#17327733546553630-558: A member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . Virginia has an extensive reputation as one of the most elite collegiate soccer programs of the United States. The program has produced several prominent United States national team players such as Claudio Reyna , John Harkes , Jeff Agoos , Ben Olsen , and Tony Meola . Future U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena coached Virginia to five College Cup titles in
3795-504: A new club. The club was originally situated in section 120 of RFK, as the section sat directly behind the north goal. The club takes its name from their preferred location on the north side of the stadium. La Norte were forced to change sections with the arrival of the Washington Nationals baseball franchise, and the subsequent reconfiguration of RFK's seating to accommodate a baseball diamond . La Norte has since merged with
3960-440: A new deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group for the 2016 season. Sinclair's local cable channel WJLA 24/7 News served two stints as D.C. United's television partner, covering the 2016 through 2018 seasons as well as 2020. Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer , is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel
4125-426: A penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs , goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time. The referee
4290-416: A relatively recent history of metrication (or only partial metrication), such as Britain. The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range of 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 90–120 m (100–130 yd) in length and 45–90 m (50–100 yd) in width, provided
4455-424: A row until Stanford did so in 2017 . Arena departed for the new men's professional league Major League Soccer in 1996, where he led D.C. United to three MLS Cup titles, two Supporters' Shields and a CONCACAF Champions League title. He was replaced by longtime assistant George Gelnovatch , who remains the coach today. Gelnovatch returned the team to the 1997 final , where they lost 2–0 to UCLA . After
4620-428: A shootout in the 2014 tournament . One of the earliest soccer-specific stadiums in college soccer, the Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer team plays their home matches at the 8,000-seater Klöckner Stadium . Since its opening in 1997, the Cavaliers have enjoyed some of the highest reported attendance figures in American college soccer. The stadium has 3,600 grandstand seats along with an additional 3,400 grass seats. It
4785-576: A similar ancient game ( cuju , or tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in Midlothian , Scotland, during the 1790s. Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on
4950-506: A six-year period during the 1980s and 1990s, and his protégé George Gelnovatch has since guided the Cavaliers to six College Cups and four championship games, winning two of them. The Cavaliers made the College Cup tournament bracket for a record 39 consecutive years , which ended in 2020, the most of any team in the history of the sport. The program has won seven NCAA Championships (1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2009, 2014) and have
5115-481: A string of early-round exits in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the team returned to the College Cup in 2006 and the national championship game in 2009 . Playing against the upstart Akron Zips that year, the Cavaliers were able to prevail in a penalty kick shootout to claim their sixth NCAA title, and their first national championship since the Arena years. Virginia added a seventh NCAA championship by defeating UCLA in
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5280-528: A then-MLS record fourth time, and for the second consecutive season. Finishing the season with 55 points in 30 games, United set a club record in points per game (1.8), and lead the league in total goals (56). It was the first time in MLS history a franchise won the Shield in consecutive seasons. Outside of MLS play during the 2007 season, the club participated in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup , reaching
5445-564: A truce to the nation's civil war in 2006 and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of Bouaké , an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time. By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras . The sport also exacerbated tensions at
5610-432: A variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards . An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Headgear
5775-468: Is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with
5940-410: Is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by
6105-438: Is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during
6270-405: Is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (24 ft) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area
6435-816: Is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived English Ladies Football Association and play moved to rugby grounds. Women's football also faced bans in several other countries , notably in Brazil from 1941 to 1979, in France from 1941 to 1970, and in Germany from 1955 to 1970. Restrictions began to be reduced in
6600-506: Is recognisable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football , the antecedent of all modern football codes , these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking it. Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The history of football in England dates back to at least
6765-529: Is shared with the women's soccer team, as well as the men's and women's lacrosse teams. Both UVA and Maryland have NCAA Championship programs in men's soccer. The Virginia Cavaliers have won seven NCAA Championships to Maryland's four. When they were both in the Atlantic Coast Conference , some cited the rivalry between the Cavaliers and the Maryland Terrapins as one of the most bitter rivalries in college soccer. In 2011, FirstPoint USA rated
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6930-643: Is the dominant region in women's football, with the United States winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success, and the women's game has been improving in South America. Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The game is played using a spherical ball of 68–70 cm (27–28 in) circumference, known as
7095-607: Is the most recent manager at United to win two or more major titles during their tenure as head coach. Following Soehn's replacement, the organization hired Curt Onalfo as the head coach. United had approached then University of Akron men's soccer head coach, Caleb Porter , but Porter rejected their offer. Recently retired club midfielder, Ben Olsen , joined Onalfo's staff as an assistant coach, along with Kris Kelderman , who served as an assistant to Onfalo at Kansas City. Additionally, Soehn's assistant coaches of Chad Ashton and Mark Simpson remained on Onalfo's coaching staff for
7260-455: Is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents, but is most commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time , while lost time can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of
7425-401: Is the world's most popular sport. The game of association football is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game , a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference . The two teams compete to score goals by getting the ball into the other team's goal (between
7590-435: Is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it was later reduced to the modern spelling. This form of slang also gave rise to rugger for rugby football, fiver and tenner for five pound and ten pound notes , and the now-archaic footer that was also a name for association football. The word soccer arrived at its current form in 1895 and
7755-404: Is to score goals; defenders , who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders , who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which
7920-421: The football (or soccer ball ). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by
8085-508: The 1994 FIFA World Cup . When the Washington Nationals baseball team shared the field from 2005 to 2007, there were criticisms about the playing surface and the field's dimensions. Audi Field is a soccer-specific stadium at Buzzard Point in Southwest, Washington, D.C. , and has a capacity of 20,000. It hosted its first game against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on July 14, 2018. The stadium's naming rights are owned by Audi , who signed
8250-571: The 2002 CONCACAF Champions' Cup , due to their performance in the previous years' Giants Cup. United suffered their worst loss in CONCACAF play, losing by a four-goal margin to Comunicaciones , a club they had beat the previous year in the Giants Cup. United won the return leg, but by too little of a margin to advance. Their fortunes during the regular season did not fare better than the previous two seasons, where United ultimately finished last in
8415-527: The Caribbean and Oceania regions (except Australia ) have yet to make a mark in international football. When it comes to men's national teams, Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final. These regional trends do not hold true for the women's game, as the United States women's national team has won
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#17327733546558580-541: The Coffee Pot Cup , a trophy established by the two sides' supporters. When the league was founded in 1995, billionaire investor George Soros was the primary financial backer and director of Washington Soccer L.P., the group that owned the operating rights to D.C. United. Kevin Payne , former President of Soccer USA Partners and current CEO of D.C. United, was instrumental in organizing this ownership group. By 1998
8745-471: The MLS Cups the team has won. On December 10, 2015, D.C. United unveiled an updated logo designed by Peter Horridge, featuring a D.C. flag -inspired design across the eagle, an updated wordmark, and more dynamic wings. Consulting firm Guidehouse was announced as the jersey sponsor in a multi-year partnership on February 15, 2024. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (RFK) was home to D.C. United, from
8910-462: The United States men's national soccer team . Nowak was replaced by his assistant Tom Soehn , who coached the club starting in 2007. The 2007 squad, largely built by Nowak, had a historically successful regular season in MLS. Led by the likes of Luciano Emilio , Fred , Ben Olsen , and Christian Gómez , United finished the regular season atop the MLS table, winning the Supporters' Shield for
9075-610: The semifinals to eventual champions , the LA Galaxy, and being knocked out in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup by eventual finalists, Miami Fusion . During the 2001 season, United played in the CONCACAF Giants Cup which was held in March 2001, prior to the start of the MLS regular season. United reached the finals of the Giants Cup, beating Jamaican club, Arnett Gardens , and Guatemalan club, Comunicaciones in
9240-648: The "league double" by winning both the regular season championship and league championship. In 1998 the club won the Eastern Conference regular season and postseason championship, but finished runners-up for the Supporters' Shield, and lost to Chicago Fire in MLS Cup 1998. Despite not winning any domestic titles, the club managed to win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup (now known as the CONCACAF Champions League), defeating Mexican side, Toluca , in
9405-635: The 1960s and 1970s. The Italian women's football league was established in 1968. In December 1969, the Women's Football Association was formed in England, with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent team sport for women in the United Kingdom. Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the FIEFF in 1970 and in 1971 . Also in 1971, UEFA members voted to officially recognise women's football, while The Football Association rescinded
9570-401: The 2010 season. Ahead of the season the club saw the departures of Luciano Emilio and Fred, two key contributors to the club during the late 2000s. The club, marred by injuries, and poor tactics, had a historically poor start to the 2010 MLS season , having a record of 3–12–3 in the clubs first 16 matches. In August 2010, United fired Onalfo and named Ben Olsen as the club's interim manager for
9735-828: The 2010s, along with Andy Najar , who won the MLS Rookie of the Year Award (now Young Player of the Year), becoming the first homegrown player to win the honor. Following the end of the 2010 season, long-time United striker Jamie Moreno retired from professional soccer. Olsen would ultimately assume full-time managerial duties ahead of the 2011 season, where he kept Ashton on the coaching staff, but dismissed Kelderman from his staff. Olsen brought in recently retired goalkeeper and former Canadian international, Pat Onstad , on to his coaching staff, along with former Dutch international, Sonny Silooy . Throughout Olsen's tenure, he employed
9900-638: The 2012 season with a third-place finish, their best since 2007, and a second-place finish in the East, again their best since 2007. The club defeated their rivals , New York Red Bulls in the Conference Semifinals, before advancing to the MLS Eastern Conference final, their first Conference Final since 2005, against Houston Dynamo. United lost the series 2–4 on aggregate ending their season. During Olsen's third season in charge,
10065-491: The 2013 season, setting a record for fewest wins in league history. Despite the team's poor showing in league play, D.C. United defeated Real Salt Lake in the U.S. Open Cup final thanks to a late first half goal from Lewis Neal. As of 2022, this is the club's most recent major honor. Despite this season, Olsen was retained as head coach, in part, due in part to the fact the club won the Open Cup. The Open Cup title gave United
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#173277335465510230-470: The 2021 season, United hired Argentine manager, Hernán Losada , who had previously coached Belgian outfit, Beerschot . The decision came after the ownership decided to not hire Chris Armas as head coach. The media found the hire a unique and ambitious hire. As head coach, Losada moved the team away from a counter-attacking defensive style, and focused more on a high-octane, attacking style, where Losada prioritized fitness and speed, putting intense pressure on
10395-786: The Brazilian club Atlético Mineiro . The partnership's goal is to enhance the sporting and commercial success of the respective clubs by sharing expertise and experience and creating new opportunities for the clubs in both areas. On January 8, 2007, the operating rights to D.C. United were sold to D.C. United Holdings , a newly formed group venture that included real estate developer Victor MacFarlane, founder of MacFarlane Partners, and William H.C. Chang , chairman of Westlake International Group. Other investors included D.C. United president Kevin Payne and Blue Devil Development, headed by former Duke basketball players Brian Davis and Christian Laettner . In April 2009, Victor MacFarlane sold his share of
10560-592: The District Ultras and occupied sections 127 and 128 at RFK Stadium prior to the team's move to Audi Field . D.C. United's mascot is Talon , an anthropomorphic bald eagle . D.C. United's primary rival is the New York Red Bulls . The two teams compete annually for the Atlantic Cup , a competition instituted by the two clubs. The cup is awarded to the team that gets the most points across
10725-576: The FIFA Women's World Cup four times, more than any other women's team. Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet. A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. Football has
10890-910: The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association , the Football Association of Wales , and the Irish Football Association . FIFA , the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association. The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of
11055-467: The Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick . The referee may punish a player's or substitute's misconduct by
11220-475: The IFAB Laws. Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes ), one of whom must be the goalkeeper . Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are
11385-430: The Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees . In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Goal line technology is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether
11550-748: The Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup . The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games . The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League , which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of
11715-428: The Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or penalty kicks . The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "heading" with
11880-468: The Los Angeles Galaxy, a rematch of MLS Cup 1996, and winning their second Supporters' Shield title (off of 57 points). Striker Roy Lassiter led United with 18 goals during the season earning joint Golden Boot honors. United did not fare as well in the 1999 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, losing in the semifinals to eventual champions, Necaxa . Ultimately, Arena's departure marked the beginning of
12045-579: The MLS Cup Playoffs for five consecutive seasons. During this stretch, United's lone major title came in 2008, when they won the U.S. Open Cup . In league play during the 2008 and 2009 campaigns, United faltered at the tail-end of each season, ultimately causing them to miss out on the playoffs. Following the end of the 2009 campaign, Soehn resigned as head coach of United, thus ending the Sohen era with two major titles in three seasons. To date, Soehn
12210-460: The MLS regular season overall table, their first Wooden Spoon finish in franchise history, and their worst season until 2010. United scored only 31 goals during the season, last in MLS, where Ali Curtis and Bobby Convey were joint top scorers with the club, with only five goals each. However, the season showed signs of promising young talent with then-17 year old, Santino Quaranta , having a breakout season with United, and Nick Rimando , who became
12375-522: The NCAA tournament every year since 1981; those 39 appearances are a record for men's soccer and one of the longest streaks in any NCAA sport. Their apex came in the late 1980s to early 1990s under Arena, when the team won five national collegiate championships in the span of six years. Future U.S. men's national team stars such as John Harkes and Claudio Reyna were members of these championship teams. Virginia's first championship, in 1989 , came in one of
12540-567: The Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year Award). For the turnaround, management extended Olsen's contract with United. During the latter half of Olsen's tenure, Olsen saw the club qualify for the playoffs in four of his final six seasons, although the club never went further past the Conference Semifinals in the playoffs. During this time, the club revealed a new crest in 2016, and opened their new soccer-specific, Audi Field , in 2018. Off
12705-808: The United States since 1887. That season, Adu, along with the likes of Christian Gómez , Moreno, and Brian Carroll , helped to propel United into the playoffs as the second seed in the East. There they advanced past the New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference Final on penalty kicks in what has been called one of the best games in MLS history. United then defeated the Kansas City Wizards to win MLS Cup 2004 , their fourth, and as of 2022, their most recent MLS Cup title. Following their 2004 MLS Cup triumph,
12870-480: The United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of the 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely rugby union and rugby league . The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875, and
13035-460: The ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England. Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991: the first tournament was held in China, featuring 12 teams from
13200-410: The beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play: A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of
13365-534: The beginning of the Croatian War of Independence of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade degenerated into rioting in May 1990. Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several outlawing it completely. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that
13530-404: The buildup, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions. The ball is spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm (27 and 28 in), a weight in the range of 410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz), and a pressure between 0.6 and 1.1 standard atmospheres (8.5 and 15.6 pounds per square inch ) at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with
13695-750: The champions of these two club competitions would contest the Intercontinental Cup to prove which team was the best in the world. In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world, but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from Latin America and elsewhere. Meanwhile, football has improved in Africa , Asia and North America , and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football, although countries in
13860-481: The club has one CONCACAF Champions Cup title and one Copa Interamericana , the only United States team to win the latter. In terms of trophies won, it is the joint-most successful overall club in American soccer (tied with the New York Cosmos and LA Galaxy ). Founded in 1994, the club was an inaugural franchise in Major League Soccer, playing in the league since its first season in 1996. The club played
14025-724: The club spent the next four seasons as one of the top clubs in MLS. In 2005, the club again made MLS history by becoming the first United States–based team to participate in Copa Sudamericana , entering in the Round of sixteen. In 2006, the MLS All-Star Team , which included eight United players, was managed by United's manager Piotr Nowak , defeated English champions Chelsea . In 2006 United won their third consecutive Supporters' Shield title. Nowak left United as head coach to become an assistant under Bob Bradley with
14190-524: The club win eight of their 12 major titles from 1996 through 2000. The club would win an MLS Cup, a U.S. Open Cup, and two Supporters' Shield titles under Piotr Nowak and Tom Soehn in the mid-to-late 2000s. In 2013, under the management of Ben Olsen, the club won the U.S. Open Cup, its most recent major trophy. Throughout the 2010s, and into the early 2020s, the club managed by Olsen, went through mediocrity, with only one major trophy, and several missed playoff appearances, including two last place finishes in
14355-437: The club's first-choice goalkeeper for the next five years. Ahead of the 2003 season, United received the first overall draft pick in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft , where they selected University of Virginia standout, Alecko Eskandarian . Additionally, United brought in MLS veterans, Dema Kovalenko and Hristo Stoichkov , from Chicago Fire. After a slow start to the season taking eight matches to win, United gained momentum during
14520-476: The club's inaugural season in 1996, until the end of the 2017 season. The D.C. United Training Complex is located north of the stadium, and is where the Reserve Division team plays. RFK was built in 1961 as a dual-use stadium for baseball and American football . Before 1996, it occasionally hosted soccer matches, including the 1980 Soccer Bowl , the 1993 Supercoppa Italiana , and five matches during
14685-402: The club. Chang, however, remained part of the ownership group as a minority owner. The goal of Levien and Thohir was to construct a soccer-specific stadium for United. On the field during the 2012 season, United's fortunes fared much better, with new acquisitions Nick DeLeon , Lewis Neal , Maicon Santos , and Hamdi Salihi having immediate contributions to the club. United ultimately finish
14850-766: The club. The 2022 season ended in United finishing at the bottom of the MLS overall table, resulting in General Manager, Lucy Rushton, being relieved of her duties. During the 2023 season, United's record improved, finishing with 40 points on the season, up from 27 the previous season. However, the improvement was not enough to qualify for the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs , resulting in Rooney's dismissal. On November 20, 2023, United named Ally Mackay as their new GM and Chief of soccer operations. The team's colors and original logo were announced on October 17, 1995, along with those of
15015-425: The course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes, with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches . Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at
15180-453: The eighth century. The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England. The Cambridge rules , first drawn up at the University of Cambridge in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge , at
15345-420: The end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations. A game is officiated by a referee , who has "full authority to enforce
15510-541: The end of the 2022 season. Spanish-language coverage aired on TeleXitos affiliate WZDC-DT2 (channel 44.2). Dave Johnson was the longtime the English-language commentator, and WZDC sports anchor Moises Linares was the Spanish-language commentator. NBCSW also held television rights from the team's inception in 1996 through 2015, dating back to its time as Comcast SportsNet and Home Team Sports. In
15675-405: The end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or a foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out . Internationally, association football
15840-413: The fact that the team's uniforms are made by Adidas . In 2011, the team introduced a predominantly red third uniform with black accents to be worn four or more times in the season. The team has also previously used white road uniforms with red stripes; white and red are the colors of the flag of Washington, D.C. , and the stripes are also reminiscent of those used on the flag. The team's original shield
16005-414: The fall 2020 segment of the season. In October 2020, club management relieved Ben Olsen of his coaching duties, after a club-record 10 seasons as the head coach of the team. Olsen became the third-longest tenured head coach for an MLS team in league history, and by far, the longest tenured head coach in United history. While some members of the media felt that the dismissal was necessary, some individuals in
16170-513: The field, Chang and Thohir sold their ownership stake to Levien in 2016 and 2018, respectively. In the late 2010s the club signed several notable players such as Wayne Rooney , Luciano Acosta , and Paul Arriola . During the shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic , United saw themselves have an early group stage exit during the MLS is Back tournament , coupled with a poor run of play during
16335-646: The final thanks to a Pope goal, as well as winning the now-defunct Copa Interamericana (a two-legged aggregate series between the CONCACAF and CONMEBOL club champions). D.C. United became the first American club to win a CONCACAF club championship, and the only American club to have won the Copa Interamericana. As of 2022, only two other American clubs have won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup or Champions League (LA Galaxy in 2000 and Seattle Sounders in 2022). In October 1998, Arena left D.C. United to accept
16500-463: The first NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship in 1959. The team made their first appearance in the NCAA tournament in 1969. Bruce Arena became Virginia's soccer and assistant lacrosse coach in 1978, moving exclusively to soccer in 1985. The Cavaliers' first tournament victory, over William and Mary in 1983 (a team featuring future comedian Jon Stewart ), sparked a run to their first College Cup appearance. The Cavaliers have qualified for
16665-420: The forehead) other than their hands or arms. Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position. During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling , passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at
16830-528: The formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street , London. The only school to be represented on this occasion
16995-531: The four British associations. For most of the 20th century, Europe and South America were the dominant regions in association football. The FIFA World Cup , inaugurated in 1930 , became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams. In the second half of the century, the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores were created, and
17160-475: The front office staff had been strained. During this time off the field, Mario Mims and Mark Ingram II joined D.C. United Holdings as minority owners. Losada's firing sparked anger from some of D.C. United's fans, who felt the dismissal was too premature. Following Losada's sacking, long-time assistant coach Chad Ashton took over on interim duties until July 2022, when the club hired former player and former English international player Wayne Rooney to coach
17325-695: The game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time. The layout of a team's players is known as a formation . Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager . There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on
17490-425: The goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee for an infringement of
17655-445: The group was looking for new investors. On February 15, 2001, it agreed to sell the team to Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), founded by Colorado billionaire Philip Anschutz , with AEG exercising its option to become the sole investor-operator on January 8, 2002. AEG, who also owned MLS's Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo , ran the team until 2007. In May 2007, United entered into an initial one-year strategic partnership with
17820-436: The head coaching role for the United States men's national soccer team, following their poor performance in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Dutch manager, Thomas Rongen , who had previously coached the New England Revolution was hired to coach United for the 1999 season. With the squad, largely constructed by Arena, United achieved a domestic double, winning MLS Cup 1999 (their third MLS Cup title) against their cross-country rivals,
17985-404: The highest global television audience in sport. In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans , local communities, and even nations. Ryszard Kapuściński says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games. The Ivory Coast national football team helped secure
18150-687: The instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first football league , which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor . The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and Northern England . Laws of the Game are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The board was formed in 1886 after a meeting in Manchester of
18315-759: The lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup , which was founded by the footballer and cricketer Charles W. Alcock , and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in Glasgow , again at
18480-426: The latter half of the season, going 8–5–5 to close out the season. The form allowed United to qualify for the playoffs as the final seed, giving United their first playoff berth since 1999. Despite the berth, United was blanked by Shield winners Chicago Fire 4–0 on aggregate. At the conclusion of the season, despite signs of promise, Hudson was released by D.C. United and Polish manager, Piotr Nowak , replaced him before
18645-498: The latter have generally been played as part of doubleheaders featuring friendlies between national teams or foreign clubs. D.C. United has six major supporters groups ; La Barra Brava , the Screaming Eagles , District Ultras, Rose Room Collective, 202 Unique and La Banda del Distrito. All six groups occupy the safe standing sections together at the north end of Audi Field . La Barra Brava, Spanish for "The Brave Fans",
18810-607: The league's first seven franchises, with three more added before the league's launch. The team's name was chosen as a reflection of the names of European clubs, such as Manchester United or Leeds United , as well as being the capital of the United States. The team's colors and original logo, along with those of the other ten original teams, were announced in October 1995, during a presentation in New York City. Black and white were announced D.C. United's primary colors, and red
18975-462: The league. During this time, some high-profile acquisitions joined United, including Wayne Rooney , and several homegrown players began making impacts on the United squad including Bill Hamid , Andy Najar , and Kevin Paredes . After a string of poor seasons, Olsen was fired in 2020, after a ten-year tenure as head coach. Olsen was replaced by Hernán Losada , who managed the club until 2022, when he
19140-699: The media felt that as long as Kasper was General Manager and Levien owned the franchise that little would change. Following the dismissal, it was reported that Olsen may stay with the United organization in a different role. Ultimately, in September 2021, Olsen was hired as the Club President for the Washington Spirit , the National Women's Soccer League franchise in the Washington metropolitan area , which he held until May 2022. During
19305-614: The men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world. Association football is one of a family of football codes that emerged from various ball games played worldwide since antiquity. Within the English-speaking world, the sport is now usually called "football" in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster), and
19470-450: The most famous games in the history of college soccer. Played at Rutgers University on December 3 against Santa Clara , the wind chill was ten degrees below zero at kickoff and fell further during the game. Virginia led the defensive slugfest 1–0 before a rare mistake from Curt Onalfo in the 84th minute allowed Santa Clara to send the game to overtime. As NCAA rules had recently changed to limit games to one 30-minute overtime followed by
19635-534: The most national titles of any program since 1990. Virginia ranks third overall in the sport's championship history since 1959. The University of Virginia first fielded a varsity men's soccer team in 1941 as a member of the Intercollegiate Soccer Football Association . In their first season, the team posted a winless record, losing all nine of their matches. The Atlantic Coast Conference added soccer in 1955, followed by
19800-534: The nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football. Within the United States, Major League Soccer used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s and the National Federation of State High School Associations and NCAA still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from,
19965-399: The new club ownership constrained the teams budget, in part to finance a future soccer-specific stadium. Consequently, the club relied on several reserve players, second-division players, and Academy players to form the core of the team, as well as releasing several key contributors from the 2012 team, in order to stay within budget. As a result, D.C. United tallied a total of only three wins in
20130-463: The next stoppage of play. The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final. The score of a match cannot be altered after the game, even if later evidence shows that decisions (including awards/non-awards of goals) were incorrect. Virginia Cavaliers men%27s soccer The Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer team represent the University of Virginia in all NCAA Division I men's soccer competitions. The Virginia Cavaliers are
20295-426: The offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff. Rather than stopping play,
20460-412: The opponents defense. Losada only managed the club for the entirety of the 2021 season, where on the final day of the season, they finished just outside of the playoff spot. Despite this, Losada remained in charge of United for the first two months of the 2022 campaign. However, due to disagreements between the front office and Losada in coaching philosophy, as well as a poor string of league results, Losada
20625-470: The original thirteen laws of the game. The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, Blackheath FC , had wanted to keep, resulting in them withdrawing from the FA. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the Rugby Football Union . The FA rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and
20790-578: The other ten original teams during a presentation in New York City. Black and white are D.C. United's primary colors, though the team's nickname is the "Black-and-Red." Red is used to accent the home jersey, while white is the main color of the team's road uniform. The three stripes along the shoulder – in white at home and black on the road – do not represent the three jurisdictions of the Washington Metropolitan Area (Washington, D.C., Maryland , and Virginia ); rather, they represent
20955-432: The pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of 105 m (115 yd) long and 68 m (74 yd) wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches; however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented. The longer boundary lines are touchlines , while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines . A rectangular goal
21120-437: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895. Women's football has traditionally been associated with charity games and physical exercise, particularly in the United Kingdom. Association football continued to be played by women since
21285-437: The player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of
21450-400: The players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee. Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa . Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball out of play; by
21615-407: The posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area . The team that has scored more goals at
21780-480: The previous three-year deal, which was not completed until five games into the 2013 season , it was to show a minimum of 16 matches per season. The team became frustrated that late-season and playoff matches were often relegated to the network's secondary CSN Plus channel or not televised at all due to scheduling conflicts with the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards , leading them to conclude
21945-403: The quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, before losing to Mexican club, América , in the final. During the 2001 MLS regular season United once again, finished in last place in the Eastern Conference and 11 points outside of the playoff picture. Although the offense led by Abdul Thompson Conteh , and Jamie Moreno contributed to 42 goals on the season, the porous United defense let in 50 goals
22110-400: The quarterfinals each time. During Olsen's first full season in charge the club acquired Perry Kitchen in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft , U.S. international Charlie Davies on loan, and Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario . Additionally, 2010 Designated Player acquisition, Branko Bošković , became healthy for the season. The club experienced a turnaround in contrast to 2010, but ultimately
22275-416: The referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at
22440-419: The referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is out of play , and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time". The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs
22605-425: The remainder of the 2010 season. The club would finish the season out with a 3–8–1 record, finishing with a historically poor 6–20–4 record, the worst in MLS during the 2010 season. During the 2010 season, the highlights of the season included the rise of two homegrown signings, Bill Hamid , who took over as starting goalkeeper to Troy Perkins during the season, and became the club's first choice goalkeeper throughout
22770-440: The respective six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since; by 2019 , it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition. Four years later , FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion, while about 1.4 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record. Women's football has been an Olympic event since 1996 . North America
22935-504: The rivalry as the third best rivalry in college soccer. The Terrapins' departure to the Big Ten has put the annual rivalry on hiatus. Maryland recorded a 1–0 victory in the 2015 NCAA tournament and No. 12 Virginia dethroned No. 1 Maryland, 2–0, in a regular season game on September 2, 2019, helping Virginia to take over the No. 1 ranking weeks later. As intra-conference members, and having
23100-544: The rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2022–23 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.85 goals per match. The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper, but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers , or forwards, whose main task
23265-529: The second worst in the East. The season however, was truncated by three weeks due to the aftermath of the September 11 attacks . Following the 2001 season, club management decided to fire Rongen, and replace him with English manager Ray Hudson , who had just coached the Miami Fusion to a Supporters' Shield title. Hudson signed a two-season contract with United and began the 2002 season participating in
23430-496: The semifinals; the Copa Sudamericana , being eliminated in the opening round; the North American SuperLiga , reaching the quarterfinals; and the U.S. Open Cup , being eliminated in the third round. In September 2007, Dave Kasper was promoted from the club's Technical Director to the team's General Manager, which as of 2022, is a position he still holds. Following the 2007 season, the club failed to qualify for
23595-554: The sexes are so widely divided are all on the side of emancipation , and I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most." Honeyball and those like her paved the way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this
23760-443: The start of the 2004 season. The club's first season under Nowak was marred by injuries in the early going, and some players were known to have complained about Nowak's methods. During Nowak's tenue, United selected Freddy Adu , a 14-year-old soccer prodigy, in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. When Adu entered United's regular-season opener as a second-half substitute on April 3, 2004, he became the youngest player in any professional sport in
23925-814: The team has also used the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Maryland , for multiple early-round games in U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions' Cup since it opened in 2001. On April 14, 2018, D.C. United played an MLS game against Columbus Crew SC at the Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis , Maryland, while Audi Field was being constructed. Exhibition games, as well as occasional regular season matches, have also been played in nearby FedExField in Landover, Maryland ;
24090-469: The team its second consecutive Champions League berth . Despite this, the club was eliminated by their rivals, New York Red Bulls, in the Conference Semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs. Notable offseason acquisitions included Steve Birnbaum , Chris Rolfe , Fabian Espindola , Sean Franklin , and Bobby Boswell . At the conclusion of the 2014 season, Olsen won the MLS Coach of the Year Award (now known as
24255-494: The team to his partner William Chang after two stadium proposals had fallen through. In October 2009, Chang also bought out Davis and Laettner to fully control the team. Chang is also one of the primary investors of Major League Baseball 's San Francisco Giants . In July 2012, Erick Thohir and Jason Levien , minority owners of the Philadelphia 76ers National Basketball Association franchise, joined Chang as partners. Thohir and Levien stated their primary goals are to make United
24420-631: The teams' meetings throughout the season. D.C. United also has a rivalry with the New England Revolution . D.C. United also has a burgeoning rivalry with the Philadelphia Union as the two teams represent two cities separated by only 120 miles. D.C. United is also unique among MLS teams for its rivalry with the Charleston Battery of the United Soccer League , as they compete every time they face one another for
24585-509: The time including Eddie Pope , John Harkes , and Jeff Agoos . United's inaugural match was played on April 6, 1996, against the then-called San Jose Clash (now Earthquakes) at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California , which also was the first match to ever be played in MLS history. United would lose the match to the Clash, 0–1 off a late match-winner by Eric Wynalda . However, the season
24750-447: The time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty. The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty. In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such
24915-538: The time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century. The best-documented early European team was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. It was named the British Ladies' Football Club . Honeyball is quoted as, "I founded the association late last year [1894], with the fixed resolve of proving to the world that women are not the 'ornamental and useless' creatures men have pictured. I must confess, my convictions on all matters where
25080-422: The tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score. In competitions using two-legged matches , each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from
25245-613: The transmission of cuju outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the Tang dynasty , the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball. Other East Asian games include kemari in Japan and chuk-guk in Korea, both influenced by cuju . Kemari originated after the year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than
25410-439: The two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required. Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play . From
25575-516: Was Charterhouse . The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of The FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named Laws of the Game , forming modern football. The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley , ratified
25740-408: Was announced as the club's secondary color. The club's first season was in 1996. Ahead of the season, United hired Bruce Arena , who had led the University of Virginia men's soccer program to five NCAA College Cup titles, to be the head coach of the club. Under Arena, the club quickly established itself as one of the flagship franchises in MLS, winning two MLS Cup (league championship) titles,
25905-485: Was fired in April 2022 after coaching the club for about 14 months. Several United players later spoke publicly about Losada's poor communication with players, and strict dietary regulations, which had caused tension between the players and Losada's coaching staff. Management felt that Losada was too critical of the front office, particularly of Dave Kasper and Jason Levien, and that the relationship between coaching staff and
26070-533: Was first recorded as in exercise in the Zhan Guo Ce , a military history from the Han dynasty . Cuju players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through the fengliu yan , a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), cuju games were standardised and rules were established. The Silk Road facilitated
26235-419: Was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca . Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures. The Chinese competitive game cuju ( 蹴鞠 , literally "kickball"; also known as tsu chu ) resembles modern association football as well as a mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game
26400-519: Was founded in 1995 by Latino fans in the Washington, D.C. area, mostly Bolivian immigrants in support of original United players Marco Etcheverry and Jaime Moreno . They seek to bring a South American style to home games. La Norte (also La Curva Norte or The Northside) was a soccer supporters' club affiliated with D.C. United from 2001–2016. The club was founded in 2001 when members of La Barra Brava left section 135 of RFK Stadium to form
26565-640: Was hallmarked by the Arena leading the team to the first domestic double in modern U.S. soccer history by beating the Los Angeles Galaxy in the first MLS Cup and the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the USL First Division in the 1996 U.S. Open Cup . The club's early success continued into 1997, repeating as MLS Cup champions , and winning their first Supporters' Shield, becoming the first club in MLS history to achieve
26730-430: Was implemented in 1996, consisting of the team's name, D.C. United, above a black bald eagle facing right on a red field, clawing three soccer balls overlaid on three white stars. The three stars and balls were intended to represent the region's three jurisdictions. The bird, associated with the federal government based in Washington, D.C., symbolizes many of the attributes of the team, including speed and power. The logo
26895-504: Was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the First World War , when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England . The team played in one of the first women's international matches against
27060-433: Was redesigned before the 1998 season. This second logo design reoriented the eagle facing left and removed the three stars below it, whose metaphor was retained by three raised wing feathers. At the center of the eagle is a single gold-colored star and a soccer ball, which represents the team's victory in Major League Soccer 's inaugural cup in 1996 . The logo can also be adorned with four silver stars above it, representing
27225-682: Was replaced by former player Wayne Rooney. Rooney was fired in October 2023 after a poor managerial effort, and was replaced in January of 2024 with former New York Red Bulls manager Troy Lesesne who manages the club as of May 2024. Before the 1994 FIFA World Cup , the United States Soccer Federation fulfilled its promise to FIFA by aiding in the foundation of a new professional league, which would become Major League Soccer (MLS). On June 15, 1994, MLS selected Washington, D.C. out of twenty-two applicants to host one of
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