DC United takes to the field tonight in the Pacific Northwest when they cross the border to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Black-and-Red are coming off a controversial loss to Charlotte FC last weekend, but it’s #MLSAfterDark action that will have us up late tonight.

In the middle of the international break, the team is focused on trying to get the win on the road against a team they haven’t beaten since July 14, 2018…the match that opened up Audi Field. They’ve only played twice since then: a 1-0 Whitecaps win in Vancouver in August 2019 and a 2-2 draw at BC Place in September 2023. Still, for teams that don’t see each other often, while they’re moving in different directions, they each have unsure futures.

For DC United, they’re trying to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, but René Weiler has been outspoken about focusing on the process and not “the targets.” That’s hard to do for fans who want to see the team back in the playoffs and competing once again for MLS Cup. The progress might be visible, but for many, those targets still matter. Still, the team has been adamant about focusing on one match at a time to hopefully get back to where they want to be. They can’t climb above the playoff line with a win tonight

For Vancouver, they sit atop the Western Conference standings with a future that may not keep them in Vancouver. They are in the last year of their lease at BC Place, and without a solution, some feel that Major League Soccer may choose to facilitate a sale to owners that will take the Whitecaps elsewhere. Could this be the final match for the Black-and-Red in Vancouver? That remains to be seen. Despite that uncertain future and the ‘Caps losing one of their main players in Sebastian Berhalter (transfer to Middlesbrough), they are still pacing the West and want to continue to do so by getting three points tonight.

DC United @ Vancouver Whitecaps

Location: BC Place, Vancouver

Kickoff time: 10:30pm ET

Available streaming: Apple TV