{"id":3048,"date":"2026-07-09T09:34:30","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T09:34:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3048"},"modified":"2026-07-09T09:34:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T09:34:30","slug":"eager-eyes-will-turn-to-charlotte-after-the-world-cup-for-mls-all-star-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3048","title":{"rendered":"Eager eyes will turn to Charlotte after the World Cup for MLS All-Star Game"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

When the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994, Major League Soccer hadn\u2019t even kicked off yet.<\/p>\n

Read more 5-year-old found fatally stabbed in Pineville home, police say. Suspect arrested<\/a><\/p>\n

The league began play in 1996 with 10 teams, building on the momentum of the 1994 tournament. Everything was built from scratch as MLS tried to carve out a spot in an American sports landscape enthralled by Michael Jordan\u2019s Chicago Bulls and the Dallas Cowboys\u2019 glory years.<\/p>\n

Thirty years later, the league has helped erect 22 soccer-specific stadiums and numerous world-class training facilities. It has also welcomed global superstars, such as Lionel Messi, David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovi\u0107, after its designated player rule, which allowed teams to exceed the salary cap to sign a select number of players, opened the floodgates for European stars to arrive.<\/p>\n

But as MLS grapples with being the fourth-most popular sport in America, according to Gallup in 2024<\/u><\/a>, and faces a perception issue because of its lack of quality compared to top European clubs, it is looking to capitalize on another U.S.-hosted World Cup to level up again.<\/p>\n

In that pursuit, the league\u2019s first stop following the tournament\u2019s conclusion July 19 will be Charlotte for the MLS All-Star Game on July 29 at Bank of America Stadium. Several prominent names, including Son Heung-min, Thomas M\u00fcller and Lionel Messi, are all on the MLS All-Star roster<\/u><\/a>, announced Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n

In total, 13 World Cup players are rostered to represent MLS against Mexico\u2019s LIGA MX All-Stars. Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream, midfielder Pep Biel and midfielder Ashley Westwood were also selected for the game. If any of the three plays, they would become the team\u2019s first-ever All-Star participants.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe All-Star game being here is a culmination of just a lot of hard work from people, including the fans, earning this,\u201d said Tony Meola, a U.S. goalkeeper for the 1994 World Cup team and now a broadcaster.<\/p>\n

So how did a city that didn\u2019t even host a World Cup game earn MLS\u2019 post-World Cup springboard game? By embracing soccer more than most places since its local club started play in 2022.<\/p>\n

Charlotte FC has consistently ranked among the top MLS clubs in attendance, averaging crowds over 30,000. As the city fell in love with soccer, Meola said, the fan support wavered little.<\/p>\n

While Charlotte FC\u2019s average attendance has dipped below 30,000 this season, according to FBRef<\/u><\/a> \u2014 a fall from over 35,000 in its first three seasons \u2014it still ranks fourth among all clubs this year.<\/p>\n

It helps that Charlotte FC has made the playoffs the past two seasons and the wild-card game the year before. Meola also credited part of the team\u2019s draw to coach Dean Smith\u2019s forward-minded style of play.<\/p>\n

Read more Atrium Health settles class-action lawsuit in Charlotte alleging it shared patient data<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe stadium was filled from Day 1,\u201d Meola said. \u201cIt grew instantly here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlotte has also blossomed as a soccer city beyond MLS matches, hosting contests during the 2025 Club World Cup, with one of the matches, Real Madrid vs. Pachuca, drawing over 70,000 fans.<\/p>\n

Before the World Cup, the Queen City hosted the U.S.\u2019 friendly against Senegal, drawing just under 58,000.<\/p>\n

Despite Charlotte not hosting any games in the World Cup itself, Scotland trained at Charlotte FC\u2019s Atrium Health Performance Park during the group stage as the city welcomed the team\u2019s viral supporters, the Tartan Army. Meola suspected that some of the Scottish players would remember the city and its facilities and would favor an MLS club if one pursued them down the line.<\/p>\n

Other talents certainly have.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe used to shop in the buy-one-get-one-free aisle back in the day,\u201d Meola said. \u201cNow we\u2019re looking at a different class of players.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meola noted the success of the 29-year-old Biel, who has previously played in Denmark, Greece and Germany. He joined Charlotte FC on a permanent transfer in January after two loan stints. He has scored seven goals and four assists in 15 games this season. In the past, Meola said Biel might not have stayed in MLS.<\/p>\n

Biel, however, said he\u2019s playing in MLS because it is the best place he can be. Still, they both agree that the league is thriving.<\/p>\n

\u201cI certainly feel that the league is growing up a lot year by year or transfer by transfer,\u201d Biel said. \u201cI\u2019m very happy to play against these kinds of players. I think MLS teams are very strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the All-Star Game was announced in the Queen City, Charlotte FC owner David Tepper said during a July 2025 news conference that it would be a \u201claunching pad\u201d for soccer in the U.S., as eyes would be on soccer following the World Cup.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a soccer city,\u201d Tepper said then. \u201cLet\u2019s make no mistake about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many of the fans Tepper mentioned will likely turn to the MLS All-Star Game to see a glimpse of the talent in the domestic league. Meanwhile, Charlotte will be at the forefront with lots of potential to show off its reputation as a hub for the sport.<\/p>\n

Imagine the potential if Charlotte FC won some hardware, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis fanbase is here to stay,\u201d Meola said. \u201cIf they could put a trophy into a case, man, it would be wild.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Looking for summer dining deals? Queen\u2019s Feast Charlotte restaurant week is back<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Charlotte will host the MLS All-Star Game at Bank of America Stadium on July 29, showcasing global stars and the city's soccer surge after the World Cup.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3047,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nEager eyes will turn to Charlotte after the World Cup for MLS All-Star Game - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3048\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Eager eyes will turn to Charlotte after the World Cup for MLS All-Star Game - 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