As the MLS season starts to get into its groove, DC United fans are eagerly awaiting the opening of their new home, Audi Field. The club has spent their entire 22-year history playing at RFK, the old Washington Redskins stadium, which has seen better days, to say the least.

Although it is a massive spectacle of a venue steeped in history, RFK simply isn’t the place for DC United to thrive. The 57-year-old stadium could, at its peak, hold 56,000 spectators but since then the numbers have declined. The aging stadium now remains largely empty during soccer matches, leaving a huge feeling of openness and a sense of a lack of attendance despite the raucous atmosphere produced by the bouncing super-supporters.

However, starting on July 14th, 2018, Audi Field will be the new home for DC United. With a far more appropriate seating capacity of 20,000, the hope is that the fans will be able to be up close with the players, with the ability to really feel the intensity of the match. Major League Soccer is still a growing league with most stadiums limiting their capacities to be around 20,000-30,000.

The new stadium will be situated in the Navy Yard region of the district, just next to Nationals Park. The July 17th inaugural game against the Vancouver Whitecaps will hopefully serve as a springboard into a better, more consistent future for the District’s soccer team. There is a feeling that the club is in need of a change and this could be exactly what is needed.

In addition to a new stadium, the club could use a few more raucous fans to add to the fresh atmosphere so if you like soccer, or if you like DC sports, consider coming out to support your local soccer team.