By Billy McGee
July 16, 2025
Photo: Rusty Jones / AP
Charlotte FC officially announced today the Queen City will host the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, marking another major milestone for the club and the city’s growing soccer scene. The news was shared at a press conference at Bank of America Stadium, where MLS Commissioner Don Garber stood alongside team owner David Tepper, Nicole Tepper, CEO of Tepper Sports & Entertainment Kristi Coleman, Mayor Vi Lyles, North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley, and Johnny Harris, business mogul and co-chair of the Charlotte Sports Foundation Board of Directors.
Major League Soccer’s All-Star Game traces its roots back to 1996, when the inaugural match was held at Giants Stadium in New Jersey during the league’s first season. That first edition featured an East vs. West conference format, which ran for several years before evolving into the modern version, where the MLS All-Stars typically take on an elite international opponent. In recent years, the game has featured clubs like Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and the Liga MX All-Stars.
The 2025 edition, set for Austin, Texas, will again see the MLS All-Stars face a squad from Liga MX, marking the fourth time in five years the North American rivals have squared off in this showcase match. In the past, European giants like Arsenal (2023), Atlético Madrid (2019), and Juventus (2018) have also taken part, adding to the event’s global reach.
Beyond the match itself, MLS All-Star Week has grown into an entertaining multi-day festival. The All-Star Skills Challenge — a fan favorite — features competitions like the Shooting Challenge, Touch Challenge, Cross & Volley Challenge, Passing Challenge, and the popular Crossbar Challenge. Goalie Wars, a throwback mini-tournament featuring four goalkeepers from MLS Next Pro affiliates, will return for a third straight year. The week also includes celebrity matches, eMLS gaming tournaments, youth clinics, and a massive fan fest.
Music has become an integral part of the festivities as well, with big names like Ludacris (2018 in Atlanta), Prince Royce (2019 in Orlando), T-Pain (2023 in Washington, D.C.), Big Boi (2024 in Los Angeles) and GROUPLOVE (headlining 2025 in Austin) performing at All-Star events. Local artists and DJs are also regularly showcased, giving each host city a chance to shine.
The 2025 celebrations in Austin will stretch over five days, from July 19 to July 25, anchored by the Soccer Celebration fan festival, which features games, giveaways, and player appearances. Other highlights include the MLS Next All-Star Game on July 21 and the Special Olympics Unified Sports MLS All-Star Game, played the morning of the main event.
While Charlotte FC’s own MLS All-Star history is still young, forward Patrick Agyemang was named to the 2025 roster before transferring to Derby County FC, and the club has produced two recent Goalie Wars champions — Isaac Walker in 2023 and Chituru Odunze in 2024 — both showcasing Charlotte’s rising talent through its MLS Next Pro pathway.
The club will also debut its new kit against D.C. United tonight. The design pays homage to Charlotte’s first professional soccer team, the Carolina Lightnin’, who played in the ASL from 1981 to 1983 at American Legion Memorial Stadium and won the city’s first professional sports championship.
With Charlotte now set to host the league’s marquee summer showcase in 2026, the city continues to solidify itself as a premier destination for soccer.
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