Messi excused from 2026 MLS All-Star Game after World Cup final participation

Published Jul 25, 04:56 PM UTC

Lionel Messi will miss the 2026 MLS All-Star Game against Liga MX on July 29 in Charlotte, but unlike last year, his absence is excused due to his participation in the 2026 World Cup final with Argentina on July 19. MLS replaced Messi and three other players—Hugo Cuypers, Rodrigo De Paul, and Mbekezeli Mbokazi—with Yannick Bright, Andrés Cubas, Guilherme, and Philip Zinckernagel. The league and players' union agreed before the season that World Cup participants would have individualized rest timelines. Messi and De Paul, who both played in the World Cup final, are also missing Inter Miami's matches against Chicago and Montreal. Last year, Messi was suspended for skipping the All-Star Game without an injury, a decision Miami owner Jorge Mas called 'draconian.' The MLS squad will feature Son Heung-min, Thomas Müller, and several U.S. World Cup players.