D.C. United Women is an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C. that competes in the W-League, the second tier of women's soccer in the United States known as a "Pro-Am" league, which means teams may be either professional or amateur in status, but may not have paid players on the same roster as NCAA eligible amateur players. The team is an affiliate of Major League Soccer club, D.C. United but operated independently by Washington Soccer Properties, LLC.

D.C. United Women were announced on March 29, 2011, as part of a partnership with the some of the owners of the Northern Virginia Majestics, through a newly founded group named Washington Soccer Properties. As a part of the agreement in for the 2011 season, D.C. United Women competed in the Northeast Division of the W-League Eastern Conference, while the Majestics competed in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. While Washington Soccer Properties does control most aspects of the team, D.C. United does provide oversight, assistance, and support. Washington Soccer Properties purchased the W-League franchise vacated by Washington Freedom Futures when the team was disbanded following the sale of its senior team Washington Freedom who moved to Boca Raton, Florida and became magicJack. During the off-season between 2011 and 2012, Washington Soccer Properties ownership group severed ties with like owners involved with Northern Virginia Majestics, and operate fully independently from that team as a result.

D.C. United is an American professional soccer (association football) club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer (MLS). It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.

Over the club's history, D.C. United has been considered to be the flagship franchise of MLS, having won 12 international and domestic titles. Domestically, United has been one of the most successful MLS clubs. United has won the U.S. Open Cup twice, and holds an MLS record for most MLS Cup and Supporters' Shields apiece, winning each honor four times. United was the also the first club to win both the MLS Cup and MLS Supporters' Shield consecutively.

On the international stage, D.C. United has competed in both the CONCACAF Champions League and its predecessor, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. The club is also the only American soccer club to ever compete in a CONMEBOL (South American) competition, participating in the 2005 and 2007 editions of the Copa Sudamericana. In 1998, the club won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. Subsequently, United won the now-defunct Copa Interamericana, a competition between the CONCACAF on CONMEBOL champion that year to determine the best soccer club in the Americas. In the 1998, and final edition of the Copa Interamericana, D.C. United defeated Vasco da Gama of Brazil to take the title.

Lianne Joan Sanderson (born 3 February 1988) is an English footballer who plays for D.C. United in the North American W-League as a striker.

Sanderson joined Arsenal in 1997 as part of their youth programme. Her first full season with the first team came in the 2003–2004 season, and she continued to play in the first team from then on. In the 2006 FA Women's Cup final, Sanderson scored the fifth goal of a 5–0 win over Leeds United, and was voted Player of the Match.

Sanderson finished the 2006–07 season as Arsenal's top–scorer, with 40 goals scored in 41 appearances across four competitions, all of which were won by Arsenal. In the 2007–08 season, she amassed 51 goals in 36 appearances, including the third in Arsenal's 4-1 FA Women's Cup final triumph over Leeds United.

On 3 July 2008, Sanderson and Arsenal team mate Anita Asante joined Chelsea Ladies. Upon signing Sanderson said "I always said I would never play for anyone else other than Chelsea. I have been at Arsenal for 11 years and it is a big change for me to have to leave the team, but both Anita and I wanted a new challenge. Sometimes you have to try new things and challenge yourself personally and I know that is what I am looking forward to doing here. So now I am just looking forward to what's ahead. Hopefully Anita and I will come in and help Chelsea win things."