DC United has dipped back into the past to inspire the future. Today, the club released the 2025 Archive Kit to honor the four MLS Cups the club has won.
The all-white jersey with three black horizontal stripes across the front take elements from the jerseys DC United won during their four MLS Cup seasons of 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2004. The gold trim of the jersey represents the bold confidence and signature flair that defined DC United’s golden era.
“This is a special year, not just for DC United, but for MLS,” Cay Young, DC United’s senior director of brand marketing and fan experience said in comments made exclusively to The District Press. “As you know, this year our theme is honor the Legacy…so [we’re] really leaning into those early year kits, staying true to that ethos and aesthetic, but also giving a bit of a modern twist to it. Additionally, we wanted to represent the players and back in the days, they used to be able to wear those necklaces and show some personality with a little flair and style on the pitch and [we] show some nods to that, nods to the successes we’ve had, the four [MLS] Cups and what that all means, and really, really showcasing what our roots were and where we’ve come from.
“I think it’s gonna really intersect in those spaces and be something to are. And I know the fans are going to be very excited to see this.”
Young also said that a lot of the inspiration for the Archive Kit was the swagger of club legend Marco Etcheverry. His iconic flair on the field was reflected in some of the contemporary details of the jersey and what they leaned on in creating the Archive Kit. “[Marco’s] flair and style…was a big part of the kit and which is why he was also part of the [photo shoot] with Adidas and the campaign we’re having.” The club’s release included many club legends pairing with current players to model the Archive Kit.
The jersey’s white base pays tribute to the jersey the club won the 1996 MLS Cup in. Cay Young aid they wanted to go back to that pivotal moment not just in the club’s history, but the league’s history as they celebrate its 30th season. The three stripes across the chest harken back to the unique jersey detail that adorned DC United’s jerseys for the first 12 years of the club’s history. It has been a popular jersey detail that many fans that have been around since the early days have longed to return. At least for the Archive Kit, that detail is back.
“[The Archive Collection is] giving that design opportunity where partners know when they come in into a team that’s going to have an archive kit, the partners go to the back of the kit, as opposed to being on the front chest, which has obviously become very popular in today’s sports era,” Cay Young said. “Whereas in the early ’90s, partner logos were not a prominent, thought of design. This was really the opportunity to showcase that. [The] three stripes have been part of so many of the kits and the stripes across the chest. And the fans always talk about how much they love that and how clean it is, and it’s something that they would love to see brought back, and this was an opportunity to actually be able to do that.”
Guidehouse, normally the front-of-jersey sponsor, has moved their branding to below the numbers on the back of the jersey, similar to the Sierra Mist sponsor that featured under the numbers in the 2006 season. DC United’s old wordmark will appear on the front under the three stripes instead of the Guidehouse sponsor.
One of the other major kit details besides the return of the three stripes across the chest is the red, stripped-down crest that features just the eagle with a sharp outline. Young said that they wanted a crest that kept the jersey clean and simple yet tell such a story through its minimalist design. “[The] eagle is so synonymous with us. It has been there from the beginning,” Young said. “We wanted to keep it really simple. We wanted it to be very clear and crisp, visually…[and] red obviously being one of our core colors as well. So it really leans into that elegance and that cleanness of it and just keeping things to have their own moment within the kit. So that red eagle really stands out, DC United proud. It’s what we’re known for. I’m so excited to kind of have that [crest] have its moment visually to stand out.”
The jersey will have red numbers on the back, again tying into the nostalgia of the original era of the club. It will be paired with white shorts and white socks, unfortunately without the option to wear red shorts. Fans will be able to customize the jersey with players from the current roster, but unfortunately other players – like players from the four MLS Cup-winning teams – are not an option for customization.
DC United will debut the Archive Kit tonight when DC United hits the road to take on Charlotte FC. They will then wear it four more times:
-July 26th home match against Austin FC (DC United’s Legacy Match)
-August 9th road match against New England Revolution
-August 30th road match against NYCFC
-September 27th home match against Philadelphia Union.
Cay Young said there will be other merchandise that will be released online and in the team store as part of the Archive Collection, including a white Anthem jacket, some Adidas Gazelles that tie into the theme of the jersey, hats, t-shirts, and other items. The entire Archive Collection, including the Archive Kit, is now available on the MLS Store for purchase. For fans hoping the team would go back to the look that carried the club for the first 12 years of its existence, the Archive Kit is here for you.
I managed to get one from the Adidas store. I couldn’t find them anywhere on the MLS fanatics site. Tried using the DP link, the MLS link, and the DCU link, and none of them were showing the new stuff at all.
They’re up on the Fanatics site now.
The link the club sent me yesterday went to nothingville. This did not shock me in the slightest.
I think this is a nice effort, and is about 10-15 years too late. I will not use the tired reference of lipstick on a pig. It is nice lipstick…..and I like pigs…..
Also, I can’t have old timer name on the back. I get licensing and copyrights of person, but no one stopped me from putting Stumpy on my cherry blossom jersey. Although I have received threatening letters from the National Park Service.
If you know a place that will do it for you, that’s always an option. The team store and online will not have the options for former players though.
I think that’s what he’s coplaining about. Should be fully customizable. ETCHed!
Yes, you gathered my sentiment. Thanks for advice as well DW2!
I think the video is quite nice (if rather joyless, which is itself kind of fitting). And I appreciate them bringing back the three stripes across the chest. But the jersey itself really doesn’t do anything for me.
I mean, I guess nothing says “D.C. United” like “D.C. United.”
Like, the three stripes meant something. It meant a unification of the District, Maryland, and Virginia. And the eagle on our second logo did a great job of echoing those stripes with the wings stretched out horizontally and three feathers on each wing. This is to say nothing of the star on that crest, representing the first MLS Cup ever won by anybody.
So, they bring the stripes back to “honor the legacy,” but I don’t get a lot of sense that they know what that means. Which is also a criticism of the new crest and a lot of the stadium. The older stuff used to have some actual meaning attached to the design choices. This is a legacy of… Etcheverry?
Well, the open collar allows for showing off neck jewelry (like Etch wore), or in my case, showing overgrown, greying chest hair.
I will say that the jersey isn’t a beauty — frankly, the old three stripes jersey were not great designs. Just as a rule, I haven’t seen a white DC United jersey that I liked. This year’s cream-color Soul kit looks pretty sweet in terms of style, though admittedly it doesn’t speak to the brand in any way. I would have preferred this to be in black — both because of the brand, and because fans wearing white at home seems wrong.
The weird thing for me is that the only differences I can see between the replica and the ‘official’ jersey is the replica doesn’t have the sponsors and MLS logo on the sleeves. Why would anyone want to pay another $60 just to have the sleeve sponsors?
I bought the Authentic, I can report back when it gets delivered if there are any more differences than what you noted.
I will say though, with recent jerseys, I think there’s a difference in material between the replicas and authentics too, so that could be part of it
I clicked on both. They both have the same fabric (reportedly).
Why should I buy this one?
I have the original, but it is in black!
Not loving the way the red numbers and names present on TV. The color bleeds into the white — maybe I need to tone the red in my picture.
Also, never loved DCU in white shorts. I’d love to see them in black, or better yet, red shorts, paired with this jersey.
Oh, I actually liked the style of the name and numbers on the back. Correct about red shorts, though.
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