The 2020 D.C. United season was the club's 25th season of existence, and their 25th consecutive season playing in Major League Soccer, the top flight of American soccer. The regular season began on February 29, 2020 (making it the first time the season began in February), and was suspended on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The club's season is resumed on July 13, 2020, with the MLS is Back Tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Florida, where group stage fixtures counted towards the regular season standings. The season ended on November 8, 2020, with their final regular season match.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, United's slate of external competitions were greatly altered. The club was slated to participate in the 2020 U.S. Open Cup beginning in April, however that tournament was cancelled due to the pandemic. Additionally, United was slated to play in the 2020 Leagues Cup, a secondary knock-out tournament for the top MLS clubs which did not qualify for the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League. As with the Open Cup, the Leagues Cup was cancelled due to the pandemic.
The 2020 season has also brought changes to D.C. United's coaching staff. After a string of losses, which pushed United to last place in the Eastern Conference's standings, head coach Ben Olsen was replaced by assistant coach Chad Ashton on October 8, 2020.
Preseason exhibitions
Competitive fixtures Major League Soccer
Standings Eastern Conference
Overall
Results by round
Results summary
U.S. Open Cup
Leagues Cup
MLS is Back Tournament
Group C
Squad information First team roster Squad No. Name Nationality Position(s) Date of birth (age) Apps Goals Assists Signed from Goalkeepers 1 Chris Seitz GK 100 Houston Dynamo 24 Bill Hamid GK 238 0 0 Midtjylland 36Earl Edwards Jr. GK 0 0 0 Orlando City SC Defenders 3Chris Odoi-Atsem RB 1300 Maryland Terrapins 13 Frédéric Brillant CB 66 3 4 New York City FC 15Steve Birnbaum CB 16383 California Golden Bears 23Donovan Pines CB 1000 Maryland Terrapins 28Joseph Mora LB 5003 Saprissa44Axel Sjöberg CB 000 Columbus Crew 91Oniel Fisher RB 2611 Seattle Sounders FC Midfielders 4Russell Canouse DM 5612 TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 5Júnior Moreno DM 4905 Zulia 7Paul Arriola RM 681412 Tijuana 8Ulises Segura CM 5653 Saprissa 10Edison Flores AM 0 0 0 Monarcas Morelia 11Yamil AsadLM 30 9 8 Vélez Sarsfield 18Felipe CM 901 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 25Mohammed Abu DM000 Vålerenga (loan) 27Moses Nyeman CM000 D.C. United Academy30Kevin Paredes MF 0 0 0 D.C. United Academy31Julian Gressel RM 0 0 0 Atlanta United FC Forwards 9Ola Kamara ST 530 Shenzhen20Gelmin RivasST000 MKE Ankaragücü 22Griffin Yow ST200 D.C. United Academy29Yordy ReynaST000 Vancouver Whitecaps FC50Erik SorgaST000 Flora
Coaching and management staff
Statistics
Appearances and goals
|colspan="14"|Players that left the club during the season:
Awards
MLS Team of the Week WeekPlayerOpponentPositionRef3 Frédéric BrillantToronto FCDF
Transfers and loans Transfers in
No. Pos. Player From Date Notes/Fee Source Winter 2019–20 11 MF Yamil Asad Vélez Sarsfield September 17, 2019 Free Transfer, signed through 2022 44 MF Moses Nyeman D.C. United Academy October 3, 2019 Homegrown player 24 GK Bill Hamid Midtjylland December 9, 2019 $750,000 TAM, signed through 2022 10 MF Edison Flores Morelia January 14, 2020 $5M Transfer Fee to Morelia, $2M per year through 2024 30 MF Kevin Paredes D.C. United Academy January 17, 2020 Homegrown player 31MF Julian Gressel Atlanta United FC January 21, 2020 $750,000 TAM to Atlanta, over $700,000 per year through 2023 50FW Erik Sorga Flora February 29, 2020 $500,000 2 MF Federico Higuaín Columbus Crew March 2, 2020 Signed as player and assistant coach Summer 2020 44 DF Axel Sjöberg Columbus Crew August 12, 2020 Traded for Emmanuel Boateng 20 FW Gelmin Rivas MKE Ankaragücü August 31, 2020 Free Transfer 29 FW Yordy Reyna Vancouver Whitecaps FC September 19, 2020 $400,000 in 2021 GAM to Vancouver
Transfers out
No. Pos. Player To Date Notes/Fee Source Winter 2019–20 26 MF Antonio Bustamante Club BloomingNovember 22, 2019Option Declined 20 DF Jalen Robinson Pittsburgh RiverhoundsNovember 22, 2019Option Declined 19 MF Gordon Wild LA GalaxyNovember 22, 2019Option Declined 25 FW Quincy Amarikwa Las Vegas LightsNovember 22, 2019Option Declined 6DF Marquinhos Pedroso Botev PlovdivNovember 22, 2019Option Declined 9 FW Wayne Rooney Derby County December 31, 2019 Undisclosed 29 DF Leonardo Jara Boca Juniors December 31, 2019 End of loan 10 MF Luciano Acosta Atlas January 1, 2020 Free Transfer 21 MF Sint-Truiden May 7, 2020 Loan buyout, $1.2M to D.C. with 25% sell-on clause Summer 2020 17 MF Emmanuel Boateng Columbus Crew August 12, 2020 Traded for Axel Sjoberg 2 MF Federico Higuaín Inter Miami CF October 9, 2020 $50,000 GAM from Miami
MLS SuperDraft picks
Round Selection Player Position College Status121 Simon LefebvreGKTemplesigned with Loudoun United FC 2 42 Josh FawoleFWLoyola (MD)signed with Loudoun United FC 3 65 Andrew Verdi GK Michigan returned to college 3 69 PASS 4 91 4 95
Loans in No.Pos.PlayerLoaned fromStartEndSource 25 Mohammed Abu Vålerenga
See also 2020 Loudoun United FC season
Notes
References