Match Preview – D.C. United Kicks off its 2025 MLS season against Toronto FC this Saturday  

Story of the Match

The MLS offseason is officially over, and fans can now look forward to the start of D.C. United’s 2025 season this Saturday with the Black-and-Red taking on Toronto FC at Audi Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET with tickets available for purchase at dcunited.com/tickets.

The 2024 season culminated in a heartbreaking end to D.C. United’s playoff hopes after losing to Charlotte FC 3-0 on Decision Day. With every new season comes a renewed sense of hope and optimism for a club. It’s a new chapter in the Black-and-Red history book and an opportunity for the team to right their wrongs from 2024.

It’s been a busy offseason in Washington, D.C., with a lot of turnover and roster moves leading to a new-look D.C. United team. Head coach Troy Lesesne alongside Chief Soccer Officer Ally Mackay have worked tirelessly to backfill spots and reinforce their roster to compete and qualify for playoffs for the first time since 2019. New international additions include South Korean goalkeeper Kim Joon Hong, Australia National Team center back Kye Rowles, and Brazilian winger João Peglow. In addition, they have been active in MLS trades in the offseason with players like midfielder Hosei Kijima from St. Louis CITY FC, Derek Dodson from Minnesota United, and goalkeeper Luis Barraza from New York City FC.

Black-and-Red fans can also look forward to the return of key players including 2024 MLS Golden Boot winner Christian Benteke who signed a contract extension through 2025. Brazilian playmaker Gabriel Pirani showed flashes of brilliance last year and will be hoping to build on a promising 2024 season. Defender Lucas Barlett will be another familiar face in the backline after a breakout season for him last year.

To prepare for the rigors of the season, D.C. United traveled down to Florida for warm-weather preseason training. The time away gave new teammates an opportunity to form comradery ahead of the season and gave Troy Lesesne a chance to instill his new and reinvigorated philosophy with the players. In the final preseason friendly, D.C. United showed signs of what’s potentially to come in 2025 after beating the Houston Dynamo 3-1 on February 15 with goals from Benteke, Pirani, and Kijima.

Toronto FC's 2024 season was marked by significant challenges, culminating in an 11th-place finish in the Eastern Conference and a 22nd-place overall standing, which resulted in missing the MLS Cup playoffs. The team concluded the season with an 11-19-4 record under head coach John Herdman, who resigned in November 2024 after a 15-month tenure.

In 2025, Toronto FC is entering a period of rebuilding under new head coach Robin Fraser. After faltering last year, the club will be eager to return to success in 2025 and will pose a challenge to D.C. United in the home opener this Saturday.

By the Numbers

• D.C. United forward Christian Benteke won the 2024 MLS Golden Boot after scoring 23 goals in MLS play last season.

• Benteke scored 11 goals at Audi Field in 2024; four of those goals were game winners.

• The Black-and-Red have an 18-12-12 record against Toronto FC all time in regular season matchups with a goal differential of +17.

• Midfielder Jared Stroud ranked second on the team last year with 10 assists; Stroud also ranked second on the team with 56 total shots in 2024.

• D.C. United scored 52 total goals in 2024; 31 goals from open play, 15 from set pieces, five from penalties, and one from a free kick.

How to Watch

• D.C. United fans can catch all the action of their favorite team by subscribing to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. With this subscription, you can watch every D.C. United game live, whether it’s home or away, along with exclusive pre- and post-match coverage. Simply open the Apple TV app, navigate to MLS Season Pass, and subscribe to enjoy the entire 2025 season. Whether you're at home or on the go, you'll have access to every match, ensuring you never miss a moment of D.C. United's season. Enjoy seamless streaming on your Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, and more!

• Radio broadcasts will be available live on 1190 iHeart Sports DC, 101.1 HD2, and the iHeartRadio App. Legendary broadcaster Dave Johnson, who has called games for D.C. United since the club’s inception in 1996 will return to the booth alongside Bruce Murray, former United States National Team player (1985-1993, 85 caps and 21 goals) and Class of 2011 National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee. The pair have partnered on radio calls since 2023 to deliver high-quality and passionate radio calls for fans. Supporters watching D.C. United MLS Regular Season games on MLS Season Pass can opt to listen to Dave Johnson and Bruce Murray calling the game on the MLS Local Radio Broadcast channel.