| Club: | D.C. United |
| Season: | 2020 |
| League: | MLS |
| Chrtitle: | General manager |
| Chairman: | Dave Kasper |
| Mgrtitle: | Head coach |
| Manager: | Ben Olsen (until October 8) Chad Ashton (interim) (from October 8 till December 12) |
| Stadium: | Audi Field |
| League Result: | |
| Cup1: | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| Cup1 Result: | Did not qualify |
| Cup2: | U.S. Open Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Canceled |
| Cup3: | Leagues Cup |
| Cup3 Result: | Canceled |
| Cup4: | MLS is Back Tournament |
| Cup4 Result: | Group stage |
| Cup5: | Atlantic Cup |
| Cup5 Result: | 2nd |
| Highest Attendance: | 17,183 |
| Lowest Attendance: | 16,932 |
| Average Attendance: | 17,056 |
| Largest Win: | DCU 2–1 Miami |
| Largest Loss: | Philadelphia 4–1 DCU NYCFC 4–1 DCU |
| League Topscorer: | Yamil Asad (3) |
| Season Topscorer: | Ola Kamara (5) |
| American: | true |
| Pattern La1: | _dcunited20h |
| Pattern B1: | _dcunited20H |
| Pattern Ra1: | _dcunited20h |
| Pattern So1: | _dcunited20h |
| Leftarm1: | 000000 |
| Body1: | 000000 |
| Rightarm1: | 000000 |
| Shorts1: | FF0000 |
| Socks1: | 000000 |
| Pattern B2: | _collaradidasstripesonwhite |
| Pattern Sh2: | _orl2019h |
| Pattern So2: | _orl2019h |
| Leftarm2: | FFFFFF |
| Body2: | CCCCCC |
| Rightarm2: | FFFFFF |
| Shorts2: | FFFFFF |
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| Prevseason: | 2019 |
| Nextseason: | 2021 |
The 2020 D.C. United season was the club's 25th season of existence, and their 25th consecutive season playing in Major League Soccer, the top flight of American soccer. The regular season began on February 29, 2020 (making it the first time the season began in February), and was suspended on March 12, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The club's season is resumed on July 13, 2020 with the MLS is Back Tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Florida, where group stage fixtures counted towards the regular season standings. The season ended on November 8, 2020 with their final regular season match.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, United's slate of external competitions were greatly altered. The club was slated to participate in the 2020 U.S. Open Cup beginning in April, however that tournament was cancelled due to the pandemic. Additionally, United was slated to play in the 2020 Leagues Cup, a secondary knock-out tournament for the top MLS clubs which did not qualify for the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League. As with the Open Cup, the Leagues Cup was cancelled due to the pandemic.
The 2020 season has also brought changes to D.C. United's coaching staff. After a string of losses, which pushed United to last place in the Eastern Conference's standings, head coach Ben Olsen was replaced by assistant coach Chad Ashton on October 8, 2020.[1]
See main article: 2020 Major League Soccer season.
See main article: 2020 U.S. Open Cup.
See main article: 2020 Leagues Cup.
See main article: MLS is Back Tournament.
[2] |-|colspan="14"|Players that left the club during the season:|-|}
| No. | Pos. | Player | From | Date | Notes/Fee | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter 2019–20 | |||||||
| 11 | September 17, 2019 | Free Transfer, signed through 2022 | [4] | ||||
| 44 | October 3, 2019 | [5] | |||||
| 24 | December 9, 2019 | $750,000 TAM, signed through 2022 | [6] | ||||
| 10 | MF | January 14, 2020 | $5M Transfer Fee to Morelia, $2M per year through 2024 | [7] | |||
| 30 | January 17, 2020 | [8] | |||||
| 31 | January 21, 2020 | $750,000 TAM to Atlanta, over $700,000 per year through 2023 | [9] | ||||
| 50 | February 29, 2020 | $500,000 | [10] | ||||
| 2 | March 2, 2020 | Signed as player and assistant coach | [11] | ||||
| Summer 2020 | |||||||
| 44 | DF | August 12, 2020 | Traded for Emmanuel Boateng | [12] | |||
| 20 | FW | August 31, 2020 | Free Transfer | [13] | |||
| 29 | FW | September 19, 2020 | $400,000 in 2021 GAM to Vancouver | [14] | |||
| No. | Pos. | Player | To | Date | Notes/Fee | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter 2019–20 | |||||||
| 26 | MF |  Antonio Bustamante |  Club Blooming | November 22, 2019 | Option Declined | [15] | |
| 20 | DF | Jalen Robinson | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | November 22, 2019 | Option Declined | ||
| 19 | MF | Gordon Wild | LA Galaxy | November 22, 2019 | Option Declined | ||
| 25 | FW | Quincy Amarikwa | Las Vegas Lights | November 22, 2019 | Option Declined | ||
| 6 | DF |  Marquinhos Pedroso | Botev Plovdiv | November 22, 2019 | Option Declined | ||
| 9 | December 31, 2019 | Undisclosed | |||||
| 29 | DF | December 31, 2019 | End of loan | ||||
| 10 | MF | January 1, 2020 | Free Transfer | [16] | |||
| 21 | MF | | May 7, 2020 | Loan buyout, $1.2M to D.C. with 25% sell-on clause | [17] | ||
| Summer 2020 | |||||||
| 17 | August 12, 2020 | Traded for Axel Sjoberg | |||||
| 2 | October 9, 2020 | $50,000 GAM from Miami | [18] | ||||
See main article: 2020 MLS SuperDraft.
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 |  Simon Lefebvre | GK | Temple | signed with Loudoun United FC |
| 2 | 42 | Josh Fawole | FW | Loyola (MD) | |
| 3 | 65 | returned to college | |||
| 3 | 69 | PASS | |||
| 4 | 91 | ||||
| 4 | 95 | ||||
