The season saw the departure of three-year coach, Piotr Nowak, who became an assistant manager to Bob Bradley for the United States national soccer team.

In spite of their record-setting fourth Shield, the United would lose to Chicago Fire 3-2 on aggregate in the MLS Cup Playoffs during the quarterfinals.

Their international tournaments were highlighted a deep campaign in the CONCACAF Champions League, where the Black-and-Red made a semifinal run, before bowing out to eventual runners-up Guadalajara, 3-2 on aggregate.

The United also played Guadalajara in late September in the Copa Sudamericana final stages, where they would fall on a 2-1 aggregate score-line.

To date, it was the last time an MLS club played in a South American tournament, which they were invited to as third-place finishers in the 2007 CONCACAF Champions Cup.