The 2012 D.C. United season was the club's seventeenth season of existence, and their seventeenth consecutive season of playing in Major League Soccer, the top division of American soccer. The club's season began on March 10, with a 0–1 home defeat against Sporting Kansas City, and culminated on November 18 with a 1–1 draw against Houston Dynamo.

Under Ben Olsen, his second full season in charge, the club went through a tremendous improvement in form, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2007, and reaching the Eastern Conference championship for the first time since 2006. During the regular season, United amassed 58 points during the season, which tied their record from 1998 for the most points during the regular season, although the 1998 season only had 32 matches instead of 34. Still, the club averaged 1.7 points per match, which is tied for the third best on record.

United saw success in the conference semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs, defeating their I-95 rivals, the New York Red Bulls 2–1 on aggregate, before eventually bowing out to the defending Eastern Conference postseason champions, Houston Dynamo, 4–2 on aggregate.

Outside of MLS, United reached the fourth round proper, or round of 16, of the U.S. Open Cup before bowing out in extra time to Philadelphia Union.

Ahead of the 2012 season, it was head coach Ben Olsen's first club campaign as full-time manager. During 2011, United improve from their 6–20–4 record and improved to 9–13–12, but failing to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs for a franchise-record four seasons. United improved their scoring output, scoring 47 goals during the regular season, third in the league, and had the fourth best away record of MLS clubs during 2011.

On November 3, United's Ethan White and Perry Kitchen were called up to the United States under-23 national team, ahead of November 7 and 15 fixtures in Germany. On November 29, D.C. United signed Robbie Russell from Real Salt Lake in exchange for a third round pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft.

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