The MLS All-Star Game comes to Charlotte on Wednesday night, the first time the league has played its midsummer showcase at Bank of America Stadium. The MLS All-Stars face a team of Liga MX All-Stars, three Charlotte FC players are on the roster, and the club’s own head coach is running the team.
How to watch
The game streams on MLS on Apple TV, with commentary available in English, Spanish and French. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 29.
The three Charlotte players
Tim Ream, Pep Biel and Ashley Westwood are the first Charlotte FC players named to an MLS All-Star roster in the club’s history.
Ream, who also captains the United States men’s national team, was voted onto the roster by fans and media. Biel and Westwood were named as Coach’s Selections by Dean Smith, who as the host club’s manager was handed the job of filling out the rest of the team.
Biel, signed permanently from Olympiacos, has been the club’s most productive attacking midfielder, with five goal contributions in his last five games. Westwood wears the captain’s armband.
Who is coaching
Dean Smith, Charlotte FC’s head coach, leads the MLS All-Stars. He described building the roster as a balancing act, saying he wanted the game to be “a commercial success and a sporting success,” but also “a community success for this city.”
On his own two picks, Smith said he leaned on the season to date: “I picked two of what I felt were our best players or best performing players in the first 15 games of the season: Ashley Westwood and Pep Biel.”
What the game is
The All-Star Game is a cross-border exhibition between a squad of MLS All-Stars and a squad drawn from Mexico’s Liga MX, a format the two leagues have used before. Charlotte was announced as the host city in March.
Getting there
Bank of America Stadium sits in Uptown Charlotte and is the regular home of both Charlotte FC and the Carolina Panthers. Charlotte FC drew 28,077 for its most recent home match, a 2-2 draw with Atlanta United on July 22.
Tickets, Skills Challenge and fan events
Common questions
What time is the MLS All-Star Game?
Kickoff is 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.
Where is the MLS All-Star Game being played?
Bank of America Stadium in Uptown Charlotte. It is the first All-Star Game held at the stadium.
How can I watch the MLS All-Star Game?
It streams on MLS on Apple TV, in English, Spanish and French.
Who is playing in the MLS All-Star Game?
A team of MLS All-Stars against a team of Liga MX All-Stars.
Which Charlotte FC players are in the All-Star Game?
Tim Ream, Pep Biel and Ashley Westwood, the first three All-Star selections in the club’s history.
Who is coaching the MLS All-Stars?
Dean Smith, the Charlotte FC head coach, because Charlotte is the host club.
More from the Mercury
Read our reporting on Charlotte FC’s first All-Star selections and Dean Smith’s appointment, follow the club all season on the Charlotte FC page, or browse everything at the Sports Desk.