When D.C. United kicks off against FC Dallas late Saturday afternoon at RFK Stadium, starting defender Steve Birnbaum will be on his way to Ohio from Guatemala and reserve forward Alvaro Saborio will be bound to Costa Rica from Jamaica.
Seven Dallas players can be found scattered about, with the first-choice goalkeeper in Portugal.
The soccer orbit is in the grips of an official FIFA window, when most leagues go dark as many players join national teams for World Cup qualifiers, friendlies and other formal competitions. MLS is an exception. The league did not schedule a full slate of matches this weekend — only three of a possible 10 — but the domestic activities during an otherwise dormant global period have left six coaches without their full arsenal of players.