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MLS All-Star Game

Soccer competition in the United States and Canada From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The Major League Soccer All-Star Game is an annual soccer game held by Major League Soccer featuring selected players from the league against an international club or selected players from another league. MLS initially adopted a traditional all-star game format used by other North American sports leagues where the Eastern Conference squared off against the Western Conference. This eventually evolved into the current system where the league annually invites a club from abroad to play against a league all-star team in a friendly match. The MLS All-Stars hold a 9–8 record in the competition, which generally marks the season's midpoint. Players are awarded roster spots through a combination of fan voting and selections by the appointed manager and league commissioner.

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In case of a tie after full-time, the game does not use a 30-minute extra time period; instead it goes straight to a penalty shoot-out. The match is preceded by a skills challenge tournament, which was introduced in 2018 and features three-player teams competing in various events. The All-Star Game also runs parallel to the MLS Next All-Star Game, which debuted in 2014 as the Homegrown Game.[1]

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History

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Major League Soccer's first all-star game was played at Giants Stadium in the summer of 1996. The game, using an East–West format with players handpicked by the coaching staffs to emulate other American leagues, was the first game of a doubleheader with the Brazil national team defeating a team of FIFA World All-Stars.[2][3] The matchup between divisions would only be used for six seasons as MLS tried experimenting with different formats. The 1998 All-Star Game placed a team of American MLS players against MLS players from abroad. The 2002 game, the first to use a league-wide all-star team, was the only game to feature a national team opponent.[citation needed]

Since then (except in 2004), every opponent has been a foreign club invited by the league. The MLS All-Stars won their first six games before falling to Everton in penalties in 2009. All games from 2005 to 2019 have been against teams from Europe, the majority of which have been from England's Premier League. The European league schedule runs from fall to spring, allowing for a fixture against the MLS All-Stars during the preseasons of teams.[4] The 2020 All-Star Game was to be the first to feature the all-star team from another league, Liga MX; however, that game was cancelled.[5]

In August 2005, an 18-player all-star team squad named the "MLS Select Team" competed in the Trofeo Santiago Bernabéu, a friendly hosted by Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. The All-Star team, coached by Steve Nicol, lost 5–0 after being given only two days to prepare between normal league matches.[6]

The roster is chosen using a mix of fan votes, nominations from the coach, and commissioner's pick. Some players, including English midfielders Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in 2015, have been picked to participate in the All-Star Game despite not playing in club matches.[7] Players who are picked to play in the All-Star Game but refuse to join the team are suspended from one league match.[8]

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Roster

For 2014, ten players were chosen by All-Star Game coach Caleb Porter, eleven players were chosen by fan voting (subject to Porter's approval), and two were selected by MLS commissioner Don Garber.[9]

Skills Challenge

The modern incarnation of the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, introduced in 2018, is a freestyle soccer event that features three-player teams competing against each other in minigames, including a touch-and-volley goal showcase, a shooting accuracy competition, and a passing-and-shooting challenge.[10] The older version of the skills challenge was retired in 2001 and featured other events, including "goalie wars" and soccer tennis.[11]

Results by team

More information Team, Won ...
  1. [a]
    One tie that is counted as a shared win.
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    Results by nation

    More information Team, Winner ...

    Results by year

    "East vs. West" (1996–1997)

    July 14, 1996 1996 MLS All-Star Game MLS East United States 3–2 United States MLS West Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
    Ramos 14'
    Savarese 69'
    Pittman 88'    		 Report Preki 33'
    Kreis 37'    		 Attendance: 78,416
    Referee: Kevin Stott
    MVP: Carlos Valderrama
    July 9, 1997 1997 MLS All-Star Game MLS East United States 5–4 United States MLS West Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
    Valderrama 50'
    Galderisi 63'
    Warzycha 66'
    Williams 70'
    McBride 88'    		 Report Washington 11'
    Campos 44'
    Takawira 80'
    Jones 86'    		 Attendance: 24,816
    Referee: Arturo Angeles
    MVP: Carlos Valderrama

    "MLS USA vs. MLS World" (1998)

    August 2, 1998 1998 MLS All-Star Game MLS USA United States 6–1 United Nations MLS World Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida
    T. Ramos 5'
    Lalas 15'
    McBride 16'
    Preki 40'
    Lassiter 78'
    Jones 83'    		 Report M. Ramos 89' Attendance: 34,416
    Referee: Esse Baharmast
    MVP: Brian McBride

    "East vs. West" (1999–2001)

    July 17, 1999 1999 MLS All-Star Game MLS East United States 4–6 United States MLS West Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
    Lassiter 1'
    Moore 62' (pen.)
    Valderrama 73'
    John 83'    		 Report Preki 13', 38'
    Kosecki 32'
    Jones 36'
    Wright 84'
    Cerritos 89'    		 Attendance: 23,227
    Referee: Sandra Hunt
    MVP: Preki
    July 29, 2000 2000 MLS All-Star Game MLS West United States 4–9 United States MLS East Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
    Razov 17', 22'
    Cienfuegos 19'
    Nowak 44'    		 Report Mathis 2'
    Moreno 36'
    Valencia 39'
    Chung 51'
    Diallo 59', 61'
    Heaps 65'
    Washington 67'
    McBride 76'    		 Attendance: 23,495
    Referee: Paul Tamberino
    MVP: Mamadou Diallo
    July 28, 2001 2001 MLS All-Star Game MLS West United States 6–6 United States MLS East Spartan Stadium, San Jose, California
    Donovan 3', 7', 19', 90+2'
    Graziani 26'
    Kovalenko 69'    		 Report Chacón 28'
    McBride 34', 39'
    Diallo 53'
    Rooney 84'
    Catê 87'    		 Attendance: 23,512
    Referee: Noel Kenney
    MVP: Landon Donovan

    "All-Stars vs. Guest" (2002–2003)

    August 3, 2002 2002 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United States 3–2  United States RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
    Kreis 59'
    Etcheverry 72'
    Ralston 81'    		 Report Donovan 58'
    Jones 76'    		 Attendance: 31,096
    Referee: Brian Hall
    MVP: Marco Etcheverry
    August 2, 2003 2003 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United States 3–1 Mexico Guadalajara Home Depot Center, Carson, California
    Razov 57'
    Ruiz 68'
    Beasley 83'    		 Report García 66' Attendance: 27,000
    Referee: Kevin Terry
    MVP: Carlos Ruiz

    "East vs. West" (2004)

    July 31, 2004 2004 MLS All-Star Game MLS East United States 3–2 United States MLS West RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
    Guevara 20', 22' (pen.)
    Eskandarian 74'    		 Report Ching 43'
    Kreis 89'    		 Attendance: 21,378
    Referee: Michael Kennedy
    MVP: Amado Guevara

    "All-Stars vs. Europe" (2005–2019)

    July 30, 2005 2005 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United States 4–1 England Fulham Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
    Twellman 23'
    O’Brien 56'
    Cunningham 85', 89'    		 Report Jensen 66' (pen.) Attendance: 23,309
    Referee: Ricardo Valenzuela
    MVP: Taylor Twellman
    August 5, 2006 2006 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United States 1–0 England Chelsea Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois
    De Rosario 70' Report Attendance: 21,210
    Referee: Abbey Okulaja
    MVP: Dwayne De Rosario
    July 19, 2007 2007 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 2–0 Scotland Celtic Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colorado
    Ángel 36'
    Toja 44'    		 Report Attendance: 18,661
    Referee: Baldomero Toledo
    MVP: Juan Pablo Ángel
    July 24, 2008 2008 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 3–2 England West Ham United BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario
    Gómez 27'
    Blanco 45'
    De Rosario 70' (pen.)    		 Report Ashton 26', 67' Attendance: 20,844
    Referee: Mauricio Navarro
    MVP: Cuauhtémoc Blanco
    July 29, 2009 2009 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 1–1
    (3–4 p)    		 England Everton Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah
    Davis 26' Report Saha 12' Attendance: 20,124
    Referee: Ricardo Salazar
    MVP: Tim Howard
    Penalties
    Donovan soccer ball with check mark
    Davis soccer ball with red X
    Arnaud soccer ball with red X
    Johnson soccer ball with check mark
    Casey soccer ball with check mark
    Ljungberg soccer ball with red X    		 soccer ball with red X Vaughan
    soccer ball with red X Jô
    soccer ball with check mark Baines
    soccer ball with check mark Neville
    soccer ball with check mark Lescott
    soccer ball with check mark Rodwell
    July 28, 2010 2010 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 2–5 England Manchester United Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas
    Ching 64'
    De Rosario 90'    		 Report Macheda 1', 13'
    Gibson 70'
    Cleverley 73'
    Hernández 84'    		 Attendance: 70,728
    Referee: Jorge Gonzalez
    MVP: Federico Macheda
    July 27, 2011 2011 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 0–4 England Manchester United Red Bull Arena, Harrison, New Jersey
    Report Anderson 20'
    Park Ji-sung 45'
    Berbatov 52'
    Welbeck 68'    		 Attendance: 26,760
    Referee: Jair Marrufo
    MVP: Park Ji-sung
    July 25, 2012 2012 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 3–2 England Chelsea PPL Park, Chester, Pennsylvania
    Wondolowski 21'
    Pontius 73'
    Johnson 90+1'    		 Report Terry 32'
    Lampard 58'    		 Attendance: 19,236
    Referee: Baldomero Toledo
    MVP: Chris Pontius
    July 31, 2013 2013 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 1–3 Italy Roma Sporting Park, Kansas City, Kansas
    20:30 Gonzalez 90+1' Report Strootman 4'
    Florenzi 47'
    Tallo 68'    		 Attendance: 21,175
    Referee: Hilario Grajeda
    MVP: Alessandro Florenzi
    August 6, 2014 2014 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 2–1 Germany Bayern Munich Providence Park, Portland, Oregon
    Wright-Phillips 51'
    Donovan 70'    		 Report Lewandowski 8' Attendance: 21,733
    Referee: Jair Marrufo
    MVP: Landon Donovan
    July 29, 2015 2015 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 2–1 England Tottenham Hotspur Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colorado
    Kaká 20' (pen.)
    Villa 23'    		 Report Kane 37' Attendance: 18,671
    Referee: Ismail Elfath
    MVP: Kaká
    July 28, 2016 2016 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 1–2 England Arsenal Avaya Stadium, San Jose, California
    Drogba 45+2' Report Campbell 10' (pen.)
    Akpom 87'    		 Attendance: 18,000
    Referee: Chris Penso
    MVP: Chuba Akpom
    August 2, 2017 2017 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 1–1
    (2–4 p)    		 Spain Real Madrid Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
    Dwyer 87' Report Mayoral 59' Attendance: 61,428
    Referee: Allen Chapman
    MVP: Borja Mayoral
    Penalties
    Dwyer soccer ball with red X
    Dos Santos soccer ball with red X
    Valeri soccer ball with check mark
    Almirón soccer ball with check mark    		 soccer ball with check mark Benzema
    soccer ball with check mark Bale
    soccer ball with check mark Kovačić
    soccer ball with check mark Marcelo
    August 1, 2018 2018 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 1–1
    (3–5 p)    		 Italy Juventus Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
    Martínez 26' Report Favilli 21' Attendance: 72,317
    Referee: Robert Sibiga
    MVP: Josef Martínez
    Penalties
    Zusi soccer ball with check mark
    Yotún soccer ball with check mark
    Valeri soccer ball with check mark
    Wright-Phillips soccer ball with red X    		 soccer ball with check mark Fagioli
    soccer ball with check mark Beltrame
    soccer ball with check mark Kastanos
    soccer ball with check mark Fernandes
    soccer ball with check mark De Sciglio
    July 31, 2019 2019 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 0–3 Spain Atlético Madrid Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Florida
    Report Llorente 43'
    Félix 85'
    Costa 90+3'    		 Attendance: 25,527
    Referee: Drew Fischer
    MVP: Marcos Llorente

    "All-Stars vs. Liga MX All-Stars" (2021–2022)

    August 25, 2021 2021 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United StatesCanada 1–1
    (3–2 p)    		 Mexico Liga MX All-Stars Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, California
    Murillo 53' Report Rodríguez 20' Attendance: 21,000
    Referee: Armando Villarreal
    MVP: Matt Turner
    Penalties
    Note: Originally scheduled for July 29, 2020; postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]
    August 10, 2022 2022 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United States Canada 2–1 Mexico Liga MX All-Stars Allianz Field, Saint Paul, Minnesota
    20:30 ET
    		Report
    		Attendance: 19,727
    Referee: Joe Dickerson
    MVP: Dayne St. Clair

    "All-Stars vs. Europe" (2023)

    July 19, 2023 2023 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United States Canada 0–5 England Arsenal Audi Field, Washington, D.C.
    20:30 ET Report
    		Attendance: 20,621
    Referee: Ted Unkel
    MVP: Bukayo Saka

    "All-Stars vs. Liga MX All-Stars" (2024–present)

    July 24, 2024 2024 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United States Canada 1–4 Mexico Liga MX All-Stars Lower.com Field, Columbus, Ohio
    20:00 ET
    		Report
    		Attendance: 20,931
    Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr. (United States)
    July 23, 2025 2025 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United States Canada 3–1 Mexico Liga MX All-Stars Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas
    9:35 ET
    		Report
    		Attendance: 20,738
    Referee: Rosendo Mendoza (United States

    Future editions

    2026 2026 MLS All-Star Game MLS All-Stars United States Canada v Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
    --:-- ET
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    Most Valuable Player

    As of 2025[13][14]
    More information Ed., Winner ...
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    Broadcasting

    Further information: List of Major League Soccer All-Star Game broadcasters and Major League Soccer on television

    Since 2023, rights for the MLS All-Star Game have been held by Apple TV+. The match and associated events are broadcast in English, French, and Spanish on MLS Season Pass;[19] the 2023 edition was made free to stream.[20]

    The U.S. broadcast in English alternated between ESPN and Fox from 2015 to 2022, with the networks also alternating the MLS Cup.[21][22] In even numbered years, ESPN has broadcast the All-Star Game[23] while Fox would broadcast the MLS Cup. Likewise, in odd numbered years, Fox would be slated to broadcast the All-Star Game[24][25] while ESPN or its sister network, ABC beginning in 2019, would broadcast the MLS Cup.

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    References

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