This article documents the history of D.C. United, an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C. For a general overview of the club, see D.C. United. The club's roots trace back to FIFA awarding its quadrennial tournament, the FIFA World Cup to the United States in 1989, specifically for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. As part of receiving the hosting rights, the United States Soccer Federation had promised FIFA it would have a fully-professional first division soccer league sanctioned by the end of the century. In December 1993, Major League Soccer was founded with the anticipated goal of beginning play in 1996. In June 1994, Washington, D.C. was selected as one of the eight original cities to host an MLS franchise, and the first franchise to be announced by MLS. The club's name, colors, and