Charlotte FC showcase soccer culture as MLS All-Star hosts | OneFootball

By Justin Ruderman

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Less than five years after playing their first MLS game, Charlotte FC have already reached a milestone.

Boasting a trio of All-Star selections, the third-newest club in the league will welcome the North American soccer universe to the Queen City on Wednesday night as hosts of the 2026 MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime (8 pm ET | Apple TV).

“It's huge. It shows how far the city has come and the people of Charlotte deserve it,” club captain Ashley Westwood told reporters at training on Monday.

“It's a city that's growing. It's a sports city, and to host a game like this in its infancy is incredible. I just hope the fans turn out on Wednesday, because there's some top players here, and really embrace the evening.”

Representing the Queen City

For most players, the opportunity to represent a host city at an All-Star Game is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – if that. But not for defender Tim Ream.

Back in his second MLS season, Ream earned his first All-Star selection as a member of Red Bull New York, representing the league and club against Manchester United alongside MLS legends Thierry Henry, Rafael Márquez and Juan Agudelo at then-Red Bull Arena during the 2011 All-Star Game.

Now, 15 years later, fresh off captaining the US men’s national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil, Ream will continue his blockbuster summer by representing his club side on home soil as well.

“An All-Star Game is a showcase, but it's an opportunity to showcase what the city is, what the soccer culture is here, and how big it is,” said Ream.

“I have obviously been able to experience it with different teams, the national team, Charlotte FC, and now with the All-Star Game and the eyes that it brings. It's great to showcase what the city is about and the culture here in terms of soccer and the fan experience."

Since joining MLS in 2022, The Crown have drawn sizable crowds to Bank of America Stadium and steadily improved into a perennial Audi MLS Cup Playoffs side.

They've also brought some big names to the city, the latest being French winger Allan Saint-Maximin as a replacement for Wilfried Zaha, and earned significant transfer fees for the likes of Patrick Agyemang and Adilson Malanda.

While it's still early days for CLTFC, head coach Dean Smith is confident about their overall direction.

"I think for some people, it might be their first visit to Charlotte as a city, first and foremost. My first visit when I came over here with my family was, we really liked the feel of the city, the culture, the people," said the Englishman, who will take charge of the MLS All-Stars vs. the LIGA MX All-Stars.

"We're four-and-a-half, five years old as a club, so we're making history all the time at the moment. We're setting up the club for what we want to have as long-term success. The city in general has bought into Charlotte FC. We see that with those who have been to our games. They're fun. The supporters enjoy it. They put on an atmosphere."

Smith added: "Charlotte, as a city, is very, very soccer-oriented and we'll see that from the atmosphere, I think [Wednesday] night."

Inaugural All-Stars

Beyond hosting, the 2026 All-Star Game represents another significant breakthrough in The Crown’s growth as an MLS club. It will be the first time a Charlotte player represents the club at an All-Star Game, with the team flaunting three selections in Ream, Westwood and midfielder Pep Biel, alongside Smith at the helm.

"It helped at breakfast knowing that there's Tim and Pep there to speak to,” quipped Westwood. “It just shows what this club is doing, the players we can now attract, and to be mentioned as an MLS All-Star, it's a real honor and one that we'll represent this club very proudly."

Last year, the team cheered on Agyemang’s All-Star selection as the first in club history. However, the USMNT striker was unable to play in the game due to transferring to English Championship side Derby County.

Nonetheless, a pattern has emerged, which the current squad is eager to carry on.

"For us, it's about setting standards, as always. For the three of us, it's a chance to represent, obviously our families, the community in the city of Charlotte, the club, and we get to be the first to do it,” said Ream. “... To be the first, your name and your character gets put out there as the very first, and then everybody else has to then try to raise their game and their level to then be the next.

“I think, again, it's about setting standards and being the first to do it, being the ones to break through that and just show that no matter who you are, where you play, you can have that opportunity if you put in the work."

Vibrant fanbase

"I think the fans,” said Biel regarding what makes Charlotte uniquely special. “The atmosphere we have in the games is amazing. I think it's the most beautiful thing."

It’s a sentiment Ream affirmed, having experienced countless fanbases across the United States and England throughout his career – and one that embodies the nationwide soccer culture as a whole.

"I just think how diverse it is. You look into the stands – and it's what makes the sport special in general,” Ream said of the Charlotte faithful. “Everywhere you go, you have such a diverse set of individuals and groups of people, all different backgrounds, all walks of life, and it just brings people together. It connects people on and off the field, and I think that's no different than anywhere you go.

“I think that's an important piece that we need to think about, is that the people you see here are very similar to the ones you see in every stadium, in every city across the U.S. Bringing everybody together is what this game is all about."

In an effort to further grow the blossoming connection between fans and players, MLS hosted an All-Star Soccer Celebration on Saturday and Sunday in Charlotte, free and open to the public, where supporters participated in interactive fan zones, watched MLS games and saw their favorite players in the flesh.

"It was great being up close and personal with the fans,” Westwood said of the event. “The amount of Charlotte jerseys you see, it just shows what this city is. We're turning it into a soccer city.

“I've said it since I've been here; now it's time, as a football club, we need to start winning things. It's not easy, but that's what this city needs."