Major League Soccer's All-Stars will compete against Liga MX's All-Stars in a match at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m.
This matchup continues the tradition of pitting the two North American leagues against each other, rather than featuring an exhibition game within a single league. The event comes during a condensed MLS season, which had a pause from late May to mid-July due to the World Cup hosted across North America. The league resumed play on July 16 with a series of rivalry matches.
Dean Smith, the head coach of Charlotte FC, has chosen the MLS roster on his home field. The 29-player lineup was created through a combination of supporter votes for 11 players, 12 selections made by Smith, and two picks from MLS commissioner Don Garber.
Prominent figures in the lineup include Son Heung-min and Thomas Muller, along with players like Richie Laryea from Toronto FC. The roster saw changes shortly before the match, with players such as Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, and Hugo Cuypers being replaced for various reasons, including rest for Messi and De Paul.
On the Liga MX side, 24 players have been named. Toluca, which recently secured the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, contributes four players to the squad. Cruz Azul has the highest representation with five players, while CF Pachuca also has four representatives.
The match is a highlight of a week-long series of events in Charlotte, featuring a fan festival and other related activities. The competitive nature of the exhibition is enhanced by the close operational ties between the two leagues, with players frequently transferring between them and clubs facing off in continental tournaments. Historically, Liga MX teams have had an advantage in these encounters.
