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

A year after being suspended for skipping the MLS All-Star Game, Lionel Messi will again miss the event — but this time, his absence is excused.

Messi is one of four players replaced by MLS on Saturday. Golden Boot leader Hugo Cuypers (transferred to Monterrey), Rodrigo De Paul, and Mbekezeli Mbokazi have also been removed from the MLS squad that will face a group of Liga MX All-Stars at Charlotte FC's Bank of America Stadium on Wednesday night.

The following players have been named as replacements:

• Yannick Bright — Inter Miami (midfielder)
• Andrés Cubas — Vancouver Whitecaps (midfielder)
• Guilherme — Houston Dynamo (forward)
• Philip Zinckernagel — Chicago Fire (forward)

A fifth replacement may be needed, as Vancouver's Sebastian Berhalter — also returning from the World Cup — is set for a transfer to Middlesbrough, as reported by The Athletic this week.

Star Power and Key Absences

For foreign starpower, MLS will rely on Son Heung-min and Thomas Müller. U.S. World Cup players Matt Freese, Tim Ream, Max Arfsten, and — as of now — Berhalter are also on the squad. Croatian World Cup striker Petar Musa and rising U.S. talents Julian Hall and Zavier Gozo headline the group, which will be without the league's biggest draw.

Background: Last Year's Controversy

Messi was central to an All-Star controversy last summer. Under MLS rules, any player who skips the All-Star Game without an injury faces a one-game suspension. Messi and Jordi Alba — both part of Miami's whirlwind summer that included a run at the FIFA Club World Cup — did not attend the festivities in Austin and were promptly suspended. Miami owner Jorge Mas decried the decision as "draconian."

World Cup Impact

The World Cup has added complexity this year, particularly for players who advanced deep into the tournament. Messi and De Paul reached the final with Argentina on July 19. Unsurprisingly, both are being given time to rest and recover before returning to club action. Both players missed Miami's midweek win over the Chicago Fire and will not feature Saturday night at CF Montréal either.

The league issued the following statement:

"Prior to the start of the 2026 season, Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Association agreed that upon a player's exit from the World Cup competition, clubs would have individual conversations with each player to determine the appropriate rest and return to training and competition timeline. Consistent with that agreement, Rodrigo De Paul and Lionel Messi will be excused from participating in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game."

Liga MX Opponents

MLS, for the fifth time in six years, will face a group of stars from Mexico's top flight. Five Liga MX players featured for Mexico at the World Cup: Gilberto Mora, Erik Lira, Jesús Gallardo, Armando González, and former U.S. international Brian Gutiérrez. Another former U.S. international who now represents Mexico, Richy Ledezma, will also play for Liga MX, alongside Costa Rican goalkeeping great Keylor Navas.

Updated MLS All-Star Squad

Following Saturday's changes, the MLS All-Star squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers

• Maxime Crépeau (Orlando City)
• Matt Freese (New York City FC)
• Brian Schwake (Nashville SC)

Defenders

• Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew)
• Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids)

(Additional squad members not listed in the original text.)

By Avi Creditor Nick Turchiaro / Imagn Images