The final match of the 2025 regular season took place on Saturday night. More specifically, it was the season’s final match for Atlanta United. This year will not end in an exciting playoff push or upset victory over Inter Miami and Leonel Messi. It will end in many “what ifs?” and coulda, woulda, shouldas.
The Five Stripes (5-12-16) came into Saturday’s match with D.C. United, the worst team in Major League Soccer according to its overall record (5-10-18), just two points ahead of the other United in the Eastern Conference standings.
Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan (above) during the match against D.C. United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, October 18, 2025. Photo by Mitch Martin/Atlanta United
The match, the final one of goalkeeper Brad Guzan’s career, could not have begun better. Five Stripes captain, and along with Guzan, one of the most familiar faces in franchise history, Miguel Almiron, scored a goal in the third minute. The fact that Almiron scored the match’s first goal could be a positive sign for the future. The former Newcastle United man will be the focal point of the 2026 season. On the unassisted goal. Almiron took a rebound of an errant pass and put a low shot past the D.C. goalkeeper. He nearly scored another in the 18th minute on a cross, but was called offside. His energy throughout the match was reminiscent of the same energy level he had in the first match of the season.
The goal was Almiron’s sixth of the season to go along with a team-high seven assists. A solid season for any player, but the expectations for Almiron were so high upon his return that there was no way he could meet them if this team wasn’t successful.
Atlanta United midfielder Bartosz Slisz (above) dribbles the ball during the match against D.C. United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, October 18, 2025. Photo by Matthew Dingle/Atlanta United
Many plays highlighted the victory over D.C. In the 26th minute, Bartosz Slisz blocked a potential D.C. shot that could have tied the game. Guzan saved a shot by D.C. striker Christian Benteke in the 41st minute and recorded another save in the 54th. Bouncing on his toes for the entire match, Guzan looked like he could play another couple of matches.
D.C. midfielder Gabriel Pirani scored an unassisted goal in the 66th minute to tie the game. Guzan saved another Benteke shot that bounced back to Pirani, who created his own shot thereafter.
D.C. midfielder Gabriel Pirani scored an unassisted goal in the 66th minute to tie the game. Guzan saved another Benteke shot that bounced back to Pirani, who created a shot for himself.
In the final 20 minutes of the match, Alexey Miranchuk, arguably the team’s best all-around player this season, and Luke Brennan, a rising star, were substituted for Jamal Thiare and Saba Lobjanidze in the 74th minute.
Four minutes of stoppage time were added to the clock at the end of 90 minutes. Atlanta attempted a shot-on-goal during that time, which was saved like every other shot they took after the game’s first two minutes.
Saturday’s attendance was announced as 44,098.
Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan #1, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, and his family, before the match against D.C. United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, October 18, 2025. Photo by Mitch Martin/Atlanta United
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.”
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
