The 2012 Colorado Rapids season was the team's eighteenth year of existence.

The team's first match was on March 10 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

Cárdenas 39' Feilhaber  65' Barnes  74' Marshall  45' Hernandez  34' Castrillon  44' 61' Western Conference

The allocation ranking is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a U.S. National Team player who signs with MLS after playing abroad, or a former MLS player who returns to the league after having gone to a club abroad for a transfer fee.

Each club in Major League Soccer is allocated 8 international roster slots.