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Charlotte to host 2026 MLS All-Star Game

MLS Commissioner Don Garber,
Julian Berger
/
WFAE
MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Charlotte FC owners David and Nicole Tepper, and Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles at Bank of America Stadium on Wed., July 16, 2025.

Charlotte will host its first Major League Soccer All-Star Game next summer at Bank of America Stadium.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber made the announcement Wednesday morning at Bank of America Stadium. Garber said Charlotte was chosen because it previously hosted the FIFA Club World Cup and the Copa America, as well as its reputation as a soccer city.

“In July of 2026, right after the 2026 World Cup, right after the world’s eyes are on United States, Canada and Mexico, the eyes of the global game will turn to Charlotte," he said.

Garber was joined by team owners David and Nicole Tepper of Tepper Sports and Entertainment, as well as Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles. Lyles says the game is expected to bring millions of dollars into the city. The state of North Carolina provided a $2 million grant to help lure the game.

“Think about what it does for our local economy. Think about what it provides for our ability to be seen internationally," Lyles said.

The date and line-up for next summer’s game have yet to be announced.

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A fluent Spanish speaker, Julian Berger will focus on Latino communities in and around Charlotte, which make up the largest group of immigrants. He will also report on the thriving immigrant communities from other parts of the world — Indian Americans are the second-largest group of foreign-born Charlotteans, for example — that continue to grow in our region.