MLS confirms Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul will miss All-Star Game vs. Liga MX

Major League Soccer is gearing up for another edition of its annual All-Star Game, where the league’s top players will face the best of Liga MX in a marquee matchup at Charlotte FC’s Bank of America Stadium.

Will Messi play the All-Star Game?

However, the league confirmed Saturday that Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul will not be part of the MLS All-Star squad despite originally being selected.

According to MLS, the decision is tied to an agreement reached before the start of the 2026 season between the league and the MLS Players Association regarding players returning from the FIFA World Cup.

“Prior to the start of the 2026 season, Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Association agreed that following a player’s return from the FIFA World Cup, clubs would hold individual discussions with each player to determine the appropriate rest period and timeline for returning to training and competition. In accordance with that agreement, Rodrigo De Paul and Lionel Messi will be exempt from participating in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game.”

The decision means two of MLS’s biggest stars will miss the exhibition against Liga MX. Even so, the league will still feature a number of high-profile names, including Son Heung-min and Thomas Müller, who headline the roster.

MLS adds four replacements

With Messi and De Paul unavailable, MLS has named four replacement players to the roster.

Inter Miami midfielder Yannick Bright, Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Andrés Cubas, Houston Dynamo forward Guilherme and Chicago Fire midfielder Philip Zinckernagel have all been added to the squad. They replace De Paul, Messi, Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Hugo Cuypers.

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