D.C. United dismissed general manager Ally Mackay with four games remaining in the 2025 season after the club failed to reach the postseason for the sixth consecutive campaign.
Mackay was in his second season with the Black and Red and was in charge of overseeing all soccer operations, including player acquisition and recruitment. In a statement, the club said that after a “comprehensive review,” it decided to move on with a new approach.
“We would like to thank Ally for his work during his time with D.C. United and wish him every success in the future,” D.C. United Co-Chairmen Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan said in the statement.
A new hire will be announced in the future and will work alongside new head coach René Weiler, President of Business Operations Danita Johnson and the rest of the club’s leadership.
Mackay’s departure comes months after head coach Troy Lesesne was fired midway through his second season with United.
D.C. (5-15-10) currently sits in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and was the first team eliminated from playoff contention.
When hired in 2023, Mackay became the youngest active general manager in Major League Soccer at 37 years old. Prior to his arrival, he was the assistant general manager in Nashville, who made the playoffs in its first four years since joining MLS and finished the 2023 Leagues Cup as runners-up. Mackay took over for Dave Kasper, who had been with D.C. for over 20 years.
Mackay immediately began overhauling the roster and shedding large contracts left behind in previous years. After the 2024 season, he cut 11 players, including all four goalkeepers. United surrendered 70 goals, third most in the league that year.
Instead of completing huge money signings, United used every league mechanism possible entering 2025 to add as many players as possible, including the reentry draft, trades, wavier wire and the SuperDraft for college players, at a thriftier cost.
However, D.C.’s new additions failed to find a groove. United’s three international signings — Brazilian winger João Peglow, Australian defender Kye Rowles and South Korean goalkeeper Kim Joon Hong — have also struggled to produce. Lastly, designated player striker Christian Benteke, the club’s leading goal scorer for the last two seasons, has battled injuries.
Midway through the season, United went on a five-game winless streak and crashed out of the U.S. Open Cup before ultimately firing Lesesne.
Meanwhile, its rebuilt defense has surrendered 55 goals in 2025 with four matches remaining.
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