The 2026 Major League Soccer All-Star Game, pitting the best of MLS against the top talents from Mexico's Liga MX, will kick off on Wednesday, July 29, at 8 p.m. ET . The event, hosted at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, represents the 30th edition of the league's annual showcase and marks the first time the city has hosted the event .

How to Watch the 2026 MLS All-Star Game

The match will be streamed live and exclusively on Apple TV, which is the official broadcast home for MLS through 2033 . For new subscribers, Apple TV offers a 7-day free trial, providing a cost-free way to watch the event . There is no traditional television broadcast for the game in the United States .

Rosters and Notable Absences

The MLS roster, managed by Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith, features a mix of homegrown talent and international stars . Notable names include 2014 World Cup winner Thomas Müller of the Vancouver Whitecaps, South Korean star Son Heung-Min of LAFC, and USMNT captain and Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream .

The Liga MX All-Stars, managed by Deportivo Toluca's coach Antonio Mohamed, will rely on a squad featuring a mix of Mexican league talent, including forwards Salomón Rondón and Robert Morales .

While the game features 15 players who participated in the recent FIFA World Cup, the most prominent absence is Inter Miami's Lionel Messi . Unlike the previous year, where Messi was suspended for skipping the event, he has been officially excused from the 2026 All-Star Game to rest after leading Argentina to the World Cup final . His Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul has also been excused for the same reason . Four other players—Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Hugo Cuypers, and the originally selected pair—were replaced by Yannick Bright, Andrés Cubas, Guilherme, and Philip Zinckernagel to fill out the roster .

Ciara to Headline Halftime Show

The halftime show will feature a performance by multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning artist Ciara . The singer, who is a part-owner of the Seattle Sounders FC, expressed her excitement about the performance, stating, "I love being part of moments that bring people together through music and pure energy" . Her appearance adds a major cultural element to the evening's festivities.

A Showcase of North American Soccer

The All-Star Game is part of a week-long celebration in Charlotte, featuring community events, fan experiences, and the All-Star Skills Challenge . The match follows a 3-1 victory for the MLS All-Stars in the 2025 edition in Austin, Texas . With a star-studded roster and a high-profile halftime performance, the 2026 All-Star Game aims to solidify its status as a premier intersection of sports and entertainment on the North American soccer calendar .