The Most Historic US Soccer Sites: What’s No. 7?

Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Stadium in Washington, D.C. is my choice for the seventh most significant US soccer site in the history of the American game. It still serves as the home of DC United, the most successful MLS team ever, and it was a venue for the Olympics and World Cups in 1994 and 2003.

RFK took two years and $20 million to build, and when it opened in 1961 it was one of the most modern stadiums in the world. DC United has called it home since 1996, and the Washington Freedom of the defunct WUSA played their home matches there from 2001 until 2003.

The stadium can accommodate almost 57,000 soccer fans, which has made it an ideal spot for hosting international matches. During the ‘94 World Cup, Spain memorably trounced Switzerland at RFK, and during the 1996 Olympics, the US almost beat Portugal on the same pitch. 

RFK is also where both Freddy Adu and David Beckham made their MLS debuts and where Ronaldhino first took the pitch for Barcelona in an exhibition against AC Milan. It is an important venue in America’s soccer history, and I think it belongs on this list at No. 7.

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