Washington is home to an original Major League Soccer club, D.C. United, which began play at RFK Stadium in 1996. One of the most popular teams in the league, and the most successful (with twelve major trophies won domestically and at international level), United has won four MLS Cups, including three of the first four played. They also won the U.S. Open Cup in their first year, and again in 2008. To view their website for further information, please visit www.dcunited.com

The Washington Freedom are a professional women’s soccer team that was part of the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA). Following the WUSA’s demise, the team continued as an associate member of the W-League playing their home games at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown. The Freedom became an original team in Women’s Professional Soccer in its inaugural 2009 season. To view their website for further information, please visit www.washingtonfreedom.com

Real Maryland, founded in 2007, plays in the United Soccer League Second Division (USL-2), the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at Lester Stadium on the campus of Richard Montgomery High School. Their current head coach is Englishman Anthony Hudson. In addition to the senior team, the club also fields a team in the USL’s Super-20 League, a league for players 17 to 20 years of age run under the United Soccer Leagues umbrella. To view their website for further information, please visit www.realmaryland.us