It looks like D.C. United will continue one of their long-standing preseason traditions: playing a friendly against a Scandinavian team. A newspaper in Norway reports that Norwegian top-flight club SK Brann will play D.C. United on February 5, 2016 in Florida. D.C. United told us that no games are confirmed at this point.
SK Brann was recently promoted from the Norwegian 1st Division back into the Tippeligaen, but this game isn't about drawing eyeballs. Both United and Brann need competitive matches to prepare for their upcoming seasons, with United's Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal first leg on February 23 and Brann's first match of the Norwegian season on March 13.
In a local connection, former D.C. United youth goalkeeper and Baltimore area native Alex Horwath is one of the keepers for SK Brann. Horwath played college soccer at Wisconsin, made one appearance for the New York Red Bulls in 2011, and then bounced around in USL before making the move over to Scandinavia.
United had reportedly planned to return this winter to the Carolina Challenge Cup in Charleston, a favorite among supporters. However, due to CCL conflicts, the club will miss the tournament and has to build out their preseason manually yet again. Expect word on a couple more friendlies to start coming out in the coming weeks.