D.C. United announce 2019 preseason schedule

D.C. United announced their preseason schedule on Friday afternoon, which once again includes two separate trips to Clearwater, Florida. United will participate in five friendlies over their two camps, facing off against foes both familiar and unfamiliar. The players report to Washington, D.C. for the start of training on January 21st, and then head to the Tampa area on January 27th.

While in Clearwater from the 27th to February 8th, United have two games to play. First, they will face off against Bethlehem Steel FC, the USL affiliate of the Philadelphia Union, and a soon to be opponent of United’s own USL side, Loudoun United FC. That game takes place on February 2nd, at the Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex at 4 pm. On the day before United head back to D.C., they will face off against MLS expansion side FC Cincinnati, at the IMG Academy.

After a couple of days back home, the team will return to Clearwater on February 13th, and will participate in the same Suncoast Invitational that they have the past two preseasons. United face off against hosts Tampa Bay Rowdies on February 16 at Al Lang Stadium, before returning to the Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex for a tilt against the Union on the 20th. United wrap up their trip with a final friendly against the Montreal Impact on February 23rd, giving them a week of practices at RFK Stadium before the season opener against Atlanta United at Audi Field on March 3rd.

The camps will be the first time that Wayne Rooney, and new signing Lucas ‘Titi’ Rodriguez will get to be with the Black-and-Red in preseason camp. As usual, there will likely be trialists that join United in Florida, as the team looks to fill out their roster for the 2019 season. Unlike years past though, there’s a chance that trialists that don’t land with D.C. might instead end up with Loudoun, as the newly formed USL side has plenty of roster openings for their inaugural season.