MLS vs. LIGA MX: What to know about 2026 MLS All-Star Game

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Major League Soccer

·26. Juli 2026

MLS vs. LIGA MX: What to know about 2026 MLS All-Star Game

By Jaime Uribarri

The best of MLS and LIGA MX will converge at Charlotte FC's Bank of America Stadium on Wednesday night for regional bragging rights in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime.

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Watch

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When

Wednesday, July 29 | 8 pm ET/5 pm PT

Where

Bank of America Stadium | Charlotte, North Carolina

On Tuesday, the 2026 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T will also unfold at nearby Truist Field. Each team features 11 players and special guests.

Purchase 2026 MLS All-Star Game tickets

MLS All-Stars

Key players

The 2026 MLS All-Star Roster features 29 players representing 21 clubs.

Zavier Gozo: Real Salt Lake's homegrown midfielder and USMNT prospect has produced 6g/5a amid a breakout second MLS season.
Son Heung-Min: The South Korean superstar has three goals alongside a joint MLS-best 10 assists during his first full season since joining LAFC last summer on a league-record deal from Tottenham Hotspur.
Richie Laryea: The longtime Toronto FC standout gets an All-Star nod after helping steer Canada's historic run to the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Hany Mukhtar: The 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP is in the midst of another stellar season while guiding Nashville SC to the top of the Supporters' Shield standings.
Thomas Müller: After leading Vancouver's memorable run to MLS Cup 2025, the Germany and Bayern Munich legend gets his first All-Star nod.
Petar Musa: A perennial goal threat for FC Dallas, Musa (13g/2a) leads the Golden Boot presented by Audi race after scoring for Croatia at this summer's World Cup.
Tim Ream: Fresh off captaining the United States at the 2026 World Cup, Ream gets the All-Star nod alongside club teammates Pep Biel and Ashley Westwood.

Head coach

Charlotte FC's Dean Smith leads the MLS All-Stars as the host club's head coach. The Crown have qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in every full season under Smith, who took over ahead of the 2024 campaign.

MLS fast facts

Nashville SC have a team-high four players selected; they're the current Supporters' Shield leaders with 39 points.
From the MLS All-Stars, 11 players featured at the 2026 FIFA World Cup – nearly one-fourth of the league's 45 overall participants.
After the All-Star Game, teams have half the regular season remaining as Leagues Cup begins and the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs race heats up.

LIGA MX All-Stars

Key players

The 2026 LIGA MX All-Star Roster features 26 players from eight clubs, led by six from Chivas de Guadalajara.

Jesús Gallardo: A 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup winner with Toluca, Gallardo started at left back in all but one game during Mexico's run to the 2026 World Cup Round of 16.
Brian Gutiérrez: The Chicago Fire FC homegrown product featured in four matches for El Tri at the World Cup, earning the respect of legendary head coach Javier Aguirre.
Érik Lira: After captaining Cruz Azul to the Clausura 2026 title, Lira started four games for Mexico at the World Cup.
Gilberto Mora: Club Tijuana's 17-year-old phenom introduced himself to a global audience this summer thanks to a star-making World Cup debut with Mexico.
Keylor Navas: The legendary goalkeeper, who's played for the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, earns his first LIGA MX All-Star nod with Pumas UNAM.
Israel Reyes: Another 2026 World Cup standout with Mexico, Reyes is one of LIGA MX's most consistent and versatile defenders.
Brian Rodríguez: The former LAFC forward returns as a LIGA MX All-Star for the second straight year, fresh off representing Uruguay at the World Cup.

Head coach

Deportivo Toluca's Antonio Mohamed will manage the LIGA MX All-Stars after winning the 2026 LIGA MX Coach of the Year award. The Argentine has won five titles with Los Diablos Rojos, most recently the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.

LIGA MX fast facts

Six LIGA MX All-Stars featured for Mexico at the 2026 World Cup, while Willer Ditta represented Colombia and Brian Rodríguez represented Uruguay.
Five members of Toluca's 2026 CCC-winning side will compete for LIGA MX at this year's All-Star Game.
Brian Gutiérrez, Brian Rodríguez and Richy Ledezma boast MLS pedigree, having previously starred for Chicago and LAFC, respectively, while Ledezma came up through the Real Salt Lake system.

Matchup history

This is the fifth version of the best from MLS and LIGA MX clashing in the MLS All-Star Game.

The MLS All-Stars hold a 3-1 advantage, most recently taking the honors at the 2025 All-Star Game in Austin.

2021 Los Angeles - MLS All-Stars 1, LIGA MX All-Stars 1 (MLS All-Stars 3-2 penalties)
2022 Minnesota - MLS All-Stars 2, LIGA MX All-Stars 1
2024 Columbus - LIGA MX All-Stars 4, MLS All-Stars 1
2025 Austin - MLS All-Stars 3, LIGA MX All-Stars 1

Welcome to Charlotte

Charlotte FC began competing in 2022, making this their fifth season since entering the league. The Crown are coming off a best-ever 2025 season, in which they set club records for wins (19) and points (59) while earning home-field advantage in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.

Charlotte FC play home matches at Bank of America Stadium and frequently rank among the MLS clubs with the highest attendance figures.

For the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, CLTFC are represented by veteran defender Tim Ream, who captained the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup. Club captain Ashley Westwood and DP playmaker Pep Biel were tabbed by Smith as Coach's Selections.