The Format Changes The Workload
Lionel Messi, Son Heung-min, Tim Ream and Sebastian Berhalter headline the first eleven players selected for the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, set for late July in Charlotte, N.C.
Messi, who will be 39 by game time, earns his third All-Star roster nod since joining Inter Miami in 2023. Whether he actually takes the field remains an open question—he sat out the league's marquee event last season, and the selection announcement offered no clarity on his plans to play.
Son Heung-min appears for the first time after joining LAFC last summer. Alongside the Inter Miami star are two World Cup-bound U.S. men's national team figures: Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream, who captains the USMNT, and Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter.
The Map Gets Bigger
Should any of the four opt to skip the event, they'll face suspension for their club's next MLS match—a rule that has quietly existed in the league's All-Star framework for years.
Dean Smith, manager of Charlotte FC, will lead the MLS All-Stars. The side meets Liga MX in a skills-based competition on July 28, followed by the main showcase on July 29—both at Bank of America Stadium.
The final roster expands to 26 players. The first eleven unveiled represent fan votes. Smith contributes 13 coach selections, with MLS commissioner Don Garber holding two picks. Chicago Fire center back Mbekezeli Mbokazi led the fan voting, positioning himself as the second South African player to earn All-Star recognition.
The Numbers Tell The Story
Among the fan-voted selections, five have previous All-Star experience. Berhalter, Messi, Hany Mukhtar and Andy Najar represented the league in 2025. Tim Ream's last appearance came in 2011, when the All-Stars faced Manchester United—a different era for the event entirely.
2026 marks the fifth time in six seasons the MLS All-Stars will face Liga MX. The format has shifted over the years, previously pitting Eastern against Western Conferences and hosting European clubs including Arsenal, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Last season, MLS won 3–1 over Liga MX in Austin and claimed the skills challenge, reversing losses from 2024.
First selections: Sebastian Berhalter, Brian Schwake (Nashville SC), Anthony Markanich (Minnesota United), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Andy Najar (Nashville SC), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), Hugo Cuypers (Chicago Fire), Leo Messi (Inter Miami).