The 2012 FC Dallas season was the seventeenth of the team's existence.

FC Dallas is in the #11 position in the MLS Allocation Ranking.

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.

[1] FC Dallas has 8 MLS International Roster Slots for use in the 2012 season.

Each club in Major League Soccer is allocated 8 international roster spots and there have been no reported trades involving FC Dallas.