D.C. United match moved to Philadelphia area due to Audi Field issues

MLS and Liga MX announced the decision Friday night after the Leagues Cup organizing committee assessed the field. United, which was hit with an undisclosed fine, plans to offer refunds or credits to ticket holders and provide buses for fans who want to travel to Chester.

The field will endure more wear and tear this weekend when the Buzzard Point venue will host the Megan Thee Stallion-headlined Broccoli City Festival. United plans to install a new grass pitch Wednesday, 3½ weeks before its MLS schedule resumes at home against FC Dallas.

D.C. avoided similar issues last year by replacing the pitch soon after the Defenders’ season concluded. But a person with knowledge of the club’s thinking, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, said the team decided not to swap out the field during an early June layoff because the Lionel Messi-led Argentine national team wanted it available for training ahead of its June 14 friendly against Guatemala at FedEx Field. By the time Argentina ultimately decided to not train at Audi Field, United had committed to replacing the pitch later in the summer.

United also looked into swapping home dates with Atlanta in the Leagues Cup group stage, the person said, so that United would’ve faced Santos Laguna on Aug. 4 on the new field. But a switch wasn’t possible because English power Chelsea is facing Mexico’s Club América on Wednesday at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.