MLS All-Star Game missing Messi but hoping to capitalize on post-World Cup lift

The most meaningful and consequential moments of the 2026 MLS All-Star Game can’t be viewed by the public and won’t be captured by cameras.

Around Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game against the Liga MX All-Stars, owners will convene for a Board of Governors meeting. The future of the league will be discussed, as it is a handful of times a year at BOG meetings.

Though the game itself has lost a little luster this year — with World Cup fatigue as well as another iteration of the top MLS players vs. the best of Liga MX — the week itself remains crucial with those meetings. And for fans, it becomes a centralized few days of celebration. All-Star Games are fun, if imperfect. Particularly so within the context of global soccer. And that’s OK.

On the field, Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul won’t be present. Current MLS Golden Boot leader Hugo Cuypers also won’t be in attendance because after he was named to the All-Star roster, CF Monterrey signed him from the Chicago Fire for a fee of $7.5 million.

Son Heung-min, Thomas Müller and others will hold down the fort for MLS. Here’s everything you need to know about MLS All-Star week.

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Who are the biggest MLS stars playing?

Son headlines the roster alongside Müller. Coming just 10 days after the conclusion of the biggest soccer event ever staged on American soil, there is naturally a World Cup theme to the squad, as the league seeks to capitalize on the flurry of interest in the sport that coursed throughout North America this summer.

The likes of Maxime Crepeau and Richie Laryea (both Canada), Steven Moreira (Cape Verde), Petar Musa (Croatia) and several U.S. national team members are set to feature Wednesday.

Sebastian Berhalter was named to the team but is completing a transfer to Middlesbrough, as first reported by The Athletic. Max Arfsten was named to the team, but Boro is pursuing him as well.

There is also the theme of young players, led by Real Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo, 19, and Red Bull New York’s Julian Hall, 18.

Former MLS MVP Carles Gil will appear in his fifth All-Star Game.

Will Messi play?

No, Messi and De Paul will not be on the All-Star roster, as they are resting after Argentina’s defeat in the World Cup final.

Messi was named to last year’s All-Star Game and skipped, which resulted in a one-game suspension, as is standard in MLS for missing the event without an injury. Miami managing owner Jorge Mas called the one-game ban “draconian.”

This year, no suspension will be handed down.

“Prior to the start of the 2026 season, Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Association agreed that upon a player’s exit from the World Cup competition, clubs would have individual conversations with each player to determine the appropriate rest and return to training and competition timeline. Consistent with that agreement, Rodrigo De Paul and Lionel Messi will be excused from participating in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game,” the league wrote in a statement.

Who are the biggest Liga MX stars playing?

Several familiar faces are heading to Charlotte for Liga MX, including former U.S. youth internationals Richy Ledezma and Brian Gutierrez (both Chivas).

Venezuela international forward Salomon Rondon (Pachuca) and Juan Brunetta (Tigres) are two of the attacking stars. Former LAFC winger Brian Rodriguez (Club America) is also on the squad after playing all three of Uruguay’s group games in the World Cup.

Are there other All-Star events?

Indeed! Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET is the annual Skills Challenge, in which the teams will go through a series of five competitions, including the ever-popular Goalie Wars.

Son, Müller, Evander, Matt Freese, Tim Ream and other MLS stars are among those participating. Special guests include actor Danny Ramirez and former NFL wideout Chad Ochocinco, who had a trial with MLS side Sporting Kansas City in 2011. Both will participate in events.

Monday saw the MLS Next All-Star Game, heavily dominated by the East team over the West, as the other key All-Star Week event.

How to watch it unfold

MLS All-Stars vs. Liga MX All-Stars

Venue: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)

Date: Wednesday, July 29

Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT

Watch: Apple TV

Full rosters

MLS

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crépeau (Orlando City), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Brian Schwake (Nashville SC)

Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids), Richie Laryea (Toronto FC), Anthony Markanich (Minnesota United), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew), Daniel Munie (San Jose Earthquakes), Andy Najar (Nashville SC), Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC)

Midfielders: Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Pep Biel (Charlotte FC), Yannick Bright (Inter Miami), Andrés Cubas (Vancouver Whitecaps), Evander (FC Cincinnati), Carles Gil (New England Revolution), Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), Thomas Müller (Vancouver Whitecaps), Ashley Westwood (Charlotte FC)

Forwards: Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC), Guilherme (Houston Dynamo), Julian Hall (Red Bull New York), Son Heung-min (LAFC), Petar Musa (FC Dallas), Sam Surridge (Nashville SC), Philip Zinckernagel (Chicago Fire)

LIGA MX

Goalkeepers: Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna), Carlos Moreno (Pachuca)

Defenders: Israel Reyes (Club América), Omar Campos (Cruz Azul), Willer Ditta (Cruz Azul), Luis Gabriel Rey (Guadalajara), Jesús Garza (Tigres UANL), Jesús Gallardo (Toluca FC), Bruno Méndez (Toluca FC), Federico Pereira (Toluca FC), Nathan Silva (Pumas UNAM)

Midfielders: Erik Lira (Cruz Azul), José Paradela (Cruz Azul), Carlos Rodríguez (Cruz Azul), Javier Ruiz (Necaxa), Elías Montiel (Pachuca), Iker Fimbres (Monterrey), Juan Brunetta (Tigres UANL), Fernando Gorriarán (Tigres UANL), Franco Romero (Toluca FC), Kevin Castañeda (Guadalajara)

Forwards: Alexei Domínguez (Pachuca), Salomón Rondon (Pachuca), Robert Morales (Pumas UNAM)