D.C. United Waives Veteran Forward Dominique Badji and Defender David Schnegg

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 12, 2026) – D.C. United announced a pair of roster moves on Monday evening, waiving veteran forward Dominique Badji and defender David Schnegg. Both players were under contract through the 2026 Major League Soccer season.

The announcement comes as D.C. United’s 2026 preseason officially gets underway. Players reported this week for medical examinations and training sessions ahead of the club’s preseason trip to Los Angeles, California, scheduled for January 28.

Badji’s Time with the Black-and-Red

Dominique Badji, an MLS veteran with 235 career league appearances, joined D.C. United as a free agent in July 2024 following a stint with Bandirmaspor in Turkey’s second division.

Badji appeared in 33 matches across all competitions for the Black-and-Red over the past two seasons, recording two goals and one assist. Over the course of his MLS career, which has spanned five clubs, the forward has totaled 44 goals and 25 assists.

D.C. United Managing Director of Soccer Operations Dr. Erkut Sogut expressed appreciation for Badji’s contributions.

“We want to thank Dominique for his professionalism and commitment during his time with the club,” said Sogut. “He is an outstanding individual, and we appreciate his contributions over the past two seasons. We wish him all the best moving forward.”

Schnegg Led the Team in Minutes in 2025

Defender David Schnegg joined D.C. United in July 2024 from SK Sturm Graz of the Austrian Bundesliga and quickly became a consistent presence along the back line.

The 27-year-old appeared in 40 matches across two seasons, scoring two goals and adding four assists. Schnegg played a particularly significant role during the 2025 campaign, leading the team in both matches played (32) and minutes played (2,703).

Sogut also acknowledged Schnegg’s impact with the club.

“David played an important role for us last season and we want to thank him for the impact he made during his time with the club,” Sogut said. “We are grateful for his contributions over the past two seasons and wish him success in the next chapter of his career.”

Details on the MLS Waiver Process

When a player is placed on Waivers, he is made available to all other MLS clubs.

A club may place a player on Waivers at any time during the regular season. The Waiver Claiming Period begins on the first business day after Major League Soccer delivers notice to its clubs and runs through 5 p.m. ET on the second business day. If a player is not selected during this period—commonly referred to as “clearing Waivers”—he becomes available to all MLS clubs on a first-come, first-served basis.

Waiver Order Explained

The Waiver Order determines the priority in which clubs may claim a player. Once all teams have played at least three MLS regular-season matches, the order is based on points per game.

If a waiver occurs before all clubs have reached the three-match threshold, priority is determined by the previous season’s performance. Playoff performance is considered first, with clubs eliminated at the same stage ranked by their regular-season point totals. Expansion clubs are placed at the bottom of the Waiver Order until all teams have played at least three league matches.