The Washington Spirit are set for their third NWSL semifinal in five years, facing the Portland Thorns at a sold-out Audi Field this Saturday.
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Washington Spirit prepares to defend DC in NWSL semifinals
After conquering the National Women’s Soccer League quarterfinals Nov. 8 in a penalty kick shootout, the Washington Spirit prepare to play their third semifinal match in five years on Saturday. However, the NWSL team is not alone.
The No. 2 seeded Spirit will be at home in front of its “Rowdy Audi” supporters at D.C.’s Audi Field when they take on the Portland Thorns on Saturday. Players and coaches say it’s that support from those in the stadium and around the region that is providing the proper motivation heading into the semifinals.
“I can’t sleep, unfortunately, because I’m so anxious for the game,” midfielder Croix Bethune said.
Team officials announced the match is sold out, marking Washington’s sixth sell-out of the year. Fans looking to snag a last-minute ticket will need to use TicketMaster’s reseller site or another third-party vendor.
The match will be broadcast on CBS, giving Washington a national spotlight in its third semifinal match in five years.
The growth started in 2023, when the Spirit moved to Audi Field in Southwest D.C full time. Since then, the Spirit has attempted to charm itself within the D.C. area through community events while building a winning team.
Head coach Adrián González said the Spirit’s roster represents the city’s makeup — filled with diversity. He added the players try to channel that support and give it back to the fans with their plays and spend time with supporters during the postgame.
“I think it’s important to have that connection, and we can see the power that we have when we play at home,” González said. “The connection that we are having, I think, that’s an extra push, and obviously we are so thankful for that.”
As the Donald Trump administration’s law enforcement surge began in the District, Spirit fans chanted “Free D.C.” as a sign of protest. The club responded, becoming the only D.C.-area professional sports team to address the development, stating it stands by the city: “As your neighbors, we walk beside you.”
For Bethune, the Spirit represents more than a team looking to win a soccer title.
“With everything going on, we’re just trying to be the light for the city,” she said.
Since being drafted to Washington last year, midfielder Hal Hershfelt said D.C. has become a second home. Hershfelt credits the fans and the Spirit for making her feel comfortable to grow as a player.
“Even though I’m not from here and literally have no past connection, I’m like, ‘I love D.C.’ Just because I feel so proud to play in front of them every weekend, and it’s awesome,” Hershfelt said.
If Washington wins, it would be the second professional D.C.-based sports team to compete in a championship game this year, next to the UFL’s DC Defenders. When asked what it would mean to accomplish the feat, González called it “a huge privilege.”
“It means a lot, not just for us, but for D.C.,” Bethune said. “We’re the Washington Spirit for a reason, so we’re putting on for our city.”
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D.C. United owners Jason Levine and Steve Kaplan discussed their decision to fire general manager Ally Mackay, the current state of the club, and their vision for restoring United to a competitive MLS team.
FULL INTERVIEW: WTOP’s José Umaña speaks with DC United’s Jason Levine and Steve Kaplan. Audio has been edited for clarity.
D.C. United is once again rebuilding for the future.
From left to right, D.C. United chairmen and owners Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien speak at an appearance. (Courtesy D.C. United)
From left to right, D.C. United chairmen and owners Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien speak at an appearance. (Courtesy D.C. United)
With less than a month remaining in the MLS regular season, the Black and Red are already out of playoff contention. A year filled with promise will end with three different head coaches, a new general manager and an undefined vision for the offseason.
The one constant has been United’s ownership group, led by Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan since 2018. This season, they have been inundated with calls from fans to sell the team.
Levien and Kaplan spoke to WTOP to discuss their decision to fire general manager Ally Mackay, the state of the club and their vision to restore United into a competitive outfit in MLS.
Poor results, player signings led to change
On Sept. 16, United fired Mackay, who oversaw all soccer operations, including player acquisition and recruitment.
Levien said the decision was results-based, with a search for a new general manager starting once it “became obvious to us that we’re going to have a disappointing season.”
Since his hiring in 2023, Mackay had overhauled the roster for two straight seasons. Despite telling WTOP that he would have no salary limitations, Mackay utilized league mechanisms to sign players at a more cost-effective rate. Salary numbers released by the MLS Players Union in June showed United ranked in the bottom third in the league for player compensation.
Entering 2025, United made 13 additions, including making three international pickups, but most have failed to find a groove. Levien said he expected United to utilize all three designated player spots, which would bring in high-priced talents whose wages would not entirely count against D.C.’s salary cap. Instead, United sent a spot to Atlanta when trading midfielder Mateusz Klich, leaving striker Christian Benteke as its only high-value talent.
“We didn’t find the right targets, and we didn’t confirm their arrival with us,” Levien said. “So that’s about execution, about finding the right players and bringing them in and closing those deals.”
D.C. opened the season by winning only one of its first six games and later went on a five-game winless streak, ultimately leading to the firing of head coach Troy Lesesne in June.
“Primarily, we didn’t get the results we wanted to achieve, that we expect to achieve, and we take responsibility for that,” Levien said. “We hold the people we empower accountable as well, and we felt like we needed a different leadership in soccer operations.”
After firing Mackay, Levien said United needed to hire his replacement quickly, citing the need to prepare for the offseason and the winter transfer window.
After speaking with WTOP, United announced the hiring of sports lawyer Erkut Sogut as its new managing director of soccer operations. Sogut was previously a sports agent whose most notable client was German midfielder Mesut Özil. In a news release, the club cites Sogut in “identifying and recruiting” new head coach René Weiler to D.C.
Both owners told WTOP they will leave roster construction decisions to Sogut and Weiler.
Yet, Kaplan and Levien would not give a specific time frame for the new management to make the club more competitive. Since 2020, United has had three head coaches and three general managers, with an average tenure of less than two years before leaving.
“We’re trying to build something that’s sustainable, that is consistently competitive, and we have all the confidence in the world now that (Weiler is) going to be able to do that,” Levien said. “We’ve got to get him the right players to do that as well.”
DC United’s Jason Levine on new head coach René Weiler.
D.C. United forward Jacob Murrell (17) is congratulated by forward Christian Benteke after he scored the side’s second goal against Inter Miami during the second half an MLS soccer match on Sept. 20, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Roster changes to come
With the focus on the 2026 season, Levien said they plan to make all the financial resources available to restock United with new signings, adding that all three designated player spots will be used.
To continue building talent, Kaplan said they plan to triple their investment in the club’s youth academy to attract some of the region’s best young players, which could lead to them to start their pro careers with United. The club also plans to announce a “partnership” with a MLS Next Pro team, which would allow some players to receive playing time in the third division league.
Previously, it was unclear what was United’s player recruitment strategy. After an offseason of thrifty purchases, Joe Mamo, a minority member of the United ownership group, publicly called on D.C. to spend on older, established soccer stars from Europe like Inter Miami did with Argentina midfielder Lionel Messi and Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez.
Levine said he would not give a “marketing plan” to the soccer operations team on how to approach roster construction. Instead, the hope is that money will be spent wisely on quality players that can bring results right away.
“In terms of spending, you can’t cover up a mistake by just spending more money,” Kaplan said. “You have to make fewer mistakes, and we’re determined to make fewer mistakes.”
DC United’s Jason Levien on signing big-named players as part of United’s plans.
When questioned about his own involvement in recruiting players to D.C. — as seen with English striker Wayne Rooney, Benteke and in a failed bid for French midfielder Paul Pogba — Levien said he has been “too hands off” recently with roster building but needs to allow his new front office hires to succeed.
“From my perspective, we want to win football games,” Kaplan said. “So, our number one focus, and our North Star, is going to be players that can help us win football games.”
One upcoming item that will need to be addressed is Benteke’s future. The Belgian striker, who turns 35 in December, is in the final year of a contract extension. Benteke has scored 46 goals in 89 matches for United, winning the Golden Boot award in 2024 for scoring the most regular-season goals (23).
While D.C. holds an option in his contract for the 2026 season, Levine confirmed to WTOP that discussions are ongoing to have Benteke stay with D.C. in the long term.
‘Sell the team’
With United failing to reach the postseason once again, some fans have had enough. Some are boycotting attending matches, while others have canceled their season tickets.
The traditional drumming and singing during matches at Audi Field’s supporter section have been replaced with silence and “sell the team” chants directed at United’s ownership.
“I understand that fans are frustrated because I’m frustrated,” Levein said. “We’ve got to turn this around on the pitch to create a winning environment, and that’s what everyone wants.”
Kaplan confirmed he’s heard the chants and said you need “a thick skin” when owning a sports team and didn’t take it personally. Instead, as owners, they must improve their outreach with the fans, he said.
Levein hopes that fans who gave up on the season will return soon to see the work being done under Weiler during United’s final matches of the 2025 season.
“I’m sympathetic to it because I understand it myself, and I’m living it,” Levein said about the fans’ responses. “We’ve got to turn things around and create a winning atmosphere.”
When asked if they would investigate adding new ownership in their quest to expand Audi Field, Levein said it is part of the conversation but that the current group is “very committed to the District” and working with Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council to secure a public-private partnership for the expansion.
For now, the focus is on 2026, and another offseason of revamping awaits at Buzzard Point.
“The offseason is going to be very important for us,” Kaplan said. “We are going to add players to the roster in the offseason, and we’re determined to be a challenger next year.”
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D.C. United is dismissing general manager Ally Mackay with four games remaining in the 2025 season after the club failed to reach the postseason for the sixth consecutive campaign.
D.C. United is dismissing general manager Ally Mackay with four games remaining in the 2025 season after the club failed to reach the postseason for the sixth consecutive campaign.
Mackay was in his second season with the Black and Red and was in charge of overseeing all soccer operations, including player acquisition and recruitment. In a statement, the club said that after a “comprehensive review,” it decided to move on with a new approach.
“We would like to thank Ally for his work during his time with D.C. United and wish him every success in the future,” D.C. United Co-Chairmen Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan said in the statement.
A new hire will be announced in the future and will work alongside new head coach René Weiler, President of Business Operations Danita Johnson and the rest of the club’s leadership.
D.C. (5-15-10) currently sits in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and was the first team eliminated from playoff contention.
When hired in 2023, Mackay became the youngest active general manager in Major League Soccer at 37 years old. Prior to his arrival, he was the assistant general manager in Nashville, who made the playoffs in its first four years since joining MLS and finished the 2023 Leagues Cup as runners-up. Mackay took over for Dave Kasper, who had been with D.C. for over 20 years.
Mackay immediately began overhauling the roster and shedding large contracts left behind in previous years. After the 2024 season, he cut 11 players, including all four goalkeepers. United surrendered 70 goals, third most in the league that year.
Instead of completing huge money signings, United used every league mechanism possible entering 2025 to add as many players as possible, including the reentry draft, trades, wavier wire and the SuperDraft for college players, at a thriftier cost.
However, D.C.’s new additions failed to find a groove. United’s three international signings — Brazilian winger João Peglow, Australian defender Kye Rowles and South Korean goalkeeper Kim Joon Hong — have also struggled to produce. Lastly, designated player striker Christian Benteke, the club’s leading goal scorer for the last two seasons, has battled injuries.
Midway through the season, United went on a five-game winless streak and crashed out of the U.S. Open Cup before ultimately firing Lesesne.
Meanwhile, its rebuilt defense has surrendered 55 goals in 2025 with four matches remaining.
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Broccoli City Fest returns to the nation’s capital this weekend for two huge days of music.
WTOP’s Jason Fraley previews Broccoli City Fest at Audi Field (Part 1)
Broccoli City Fest returns to the nation’s capital this weekend for two huge days of music.
Megan Thee Stallion performs at the Reading Music Festival, England, Aug. 26 2022. Hip hop takes center stage at this summer’s Essence Festival of Culture as the event commemorates the 50th anniversary of the genre with performances by Lauryn Hill, Megan Thee Stallion and Jermaine Dupri. The four-day festival is scheduled June 30-July 3, 2023, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt, File)(Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Megan Thee Stallion performs at the Reading Music Festival, England, Aug. 26 2022. Hip hop takes center stage at this summer’s Essence Festival of Culture as the event commemorates the 50th anniversary of the genre with performances by Lauryn Hill, Megan Thee Stallion and Jermaine Dupri. The four-day festival is scheduled June 30-July 3, 2023, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt, File)(Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)
This year marks the very first time the festival will be held at Audi Field in Southwest D.C.
“It’s really exciting to be at this new venue,” festival co-founder Jermon Williams told WTOP. “You think of the growth over the years from when we started at The Bullpen then over to St. Elizabeth then over to RFK (Stadium) and FedEx (Field), then back to RFK the last two years. So moving over to Audi Field has really been about enhancing the fan experience. We wanted to revolutionize and redefine what it meant to experience a festival.”
While he remains grateful to Events DC for the recent years spent on the RFK Stadium’s grounds in Northeast, Audi Field offers the festival plenty of new opportunities from both a production and amenities standpoint.
“Audi Field is state of the art and we’re actually able to utilize the stadium and the perimeter around the stadium,” Williams said. “The Jumbotron, those big screens, being able to set up the festival so the experience is comparable to an award show where you’re seeing the interaction of the talent backstage. … Also just the facilities, providing our patrons with air-conditioned bathrooms and seating — I don’t think we’ve had a seating option in 11 years.”
It kicks off with a pre-party on Friday at Echostage hosted by nine-time Emmy nominee Issa Rae.
“She’s hosting and we’re super excited about that,” Williams said. “Anybody can go.”
The official two-day music festival arrives on Saturday with three-time Grammy winner Megan Thee Stallion headlining a star-studded lineup of PartyNextDoor, Lil Yachty & The Concrete Family, Fridayy and Teezo Touchdown, all hosted by Desi Banks, Funny Marco, Bryson Tiller, Trapsoul Karaoke and introductions by Rae.
As if that wasn’t enough, Sunday brings a second day of music headlined by four-time Grammy nominated rapper Gunna and this year’s Best New Artist Grammy winner Victoria Monét on a stacked bill with rising stars like Sexyy Red, Key Glock and many more, all hosted by Joe Kay of Soulection Radio.
How does Broccoli City always have a knack for finding “the next big thing” of artists?
“It starts with us just being fans of music culture in general,” Williams said of his fellow co-founders Marcus Allen and Brandon McEachern. “When you’re a fan there’s that natural desire to discover new music for me. I think also having a great team that shares in that passion, a younger great team, because now we’re able to get real-time advice and insight on new artists. Beyond your headlining acts it’s always about how you’re filling out your lineup.”
As a result, attendance has grown along with the festival’s reputation over the past decade.
“I would go back to the precursor to Broccoli City Fest, which was an Earth Day block party we did in L.A. called Global Cooling which had Kendrick Lamar as an opening act, we did 500 or 600 people there,” Williams said. “Fast forward to B.C. Fest, the first iteration in 2013 we ended up doing 5,000, then 2016 jumped to about 13,000, then in 2018 to about 30,000. … This year we’re looking at 25,000 each day, so 50,000 total, so we’re super excited.”
Audi Field will transform into an outdoor cinema with five showings of current blockbuster films on the stadium’s jumbotron screen — with the lineup chosen via a fan poll.
WTOP’s Jason Fraley previews ‘Movies on the Pitch’ at Audi Field (Part 1)
When you hear cheers erupting at Audi Field, it’s usually soccer fans cheering for D.C. United.
Fans enjoy “Movies on the Pitch” at Audi Field in D.C. in 2023. (Hannah Wagner/DC United)
Fans enjoy “Movies on the Pitch” at Audi Field in D.C. in 2023. (Hannah Wagner/DC United)
This summer, the sound will be coming from movie fans cheering during their favorite blockbusters.
The Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District presents the third annual “Movies on the Pitch” on Thursday evenings at the stadium in Southwest D.C.
“Our vision for Audi Field has always been for it to become a gathering place for the community, whether that’s supporting D.C. United, or attending other sporting and entertainment events,” D.C. United President of Business Operations Danita Johnson said.
“We’re excited to continue our partnership with the Capitol Riverfront BID to bring outdoor movies to Audi Field, showcasing yet another amazing reason for people to consider living in or visiting our vibrant neighborhood.”
The movie series will once again transform Audi Field into an outdoor cinema with five showings of current blockbuster films on the stadium’s jumbotron screen — with the lineup chosen by a recent fan poll.
“The Capitol Riverfront BID is thrilled to host a third year of free outdoor movies for residents and visitors throughout the local region to experience,” Capitol Riverfront BID President Emeka Moneme said. “The community has voted on a chart-topping lineup that will offer summer evenings for all ages to gather at a dynamic venue in Buzzard Point.”
Here are the family-friendly selections as voted on by the public:
May 30 — “The Little Mermaid” (2023)
June 6 — “Barbie” (2023)
June 20 — “Mean Girls” (2024)
June 27 — “The Marvels” (2023)
July 18 — “Wonka” (2023)
Gates open at 6:30 p.m. with the screenings starting at 7:30 p.m.
Audi Field will have concessions available for purchase.
A man is dead Saturday night after a stabbing outside Audi Field. D.C. police said officers responded at about 6:30 p.m. to the 100 block of T Street SW.
A man is dead Saturday night after a stabbing outside Audi Field.
D.C. police said officers responded at about 6:30 p.m. to the 100 block of T Street SW.
There, they found a man with multiple stab wounds. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
The suspect in the stabbing is in custody.
The incident came about an hour before Saturday’s DC United Major League Soccer game against Seattle Sounders at Audi Field.
DC United said the incident did not change the kickoff time of the game and they are working with investigators.
Below is a map of the area where it happened.
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