The 2007 MLS Cup will be played at RFK Stadium, bringing the title game to Washington for the third time, an official within the league told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the formal announcement will be made Thursday in a news conference at RFK.

RFK also hosted the game in 1997 and 2000. The 1997 game drew one of the largest crowds in the history of the stadium, in part because it featured the local team, D.C. United.

In recent years, MLS has staged the game at new, smaller soccer-specific stadiums built for its teams. Pizza Hut Park near Dallas hosted the last two MLS Cups.

RFK was not thought to be an ideal candidate once United started sharing the stadium with the Washington Nationals in 2005, forcing officials to transplant sod every time the stadium's configuration was changed from baseball to soccer. But the MLS Cup will likely be played in November, after the baseball season has ended.