Eager eyes will turn to Charlotte after the World Cup for MLS All-Star Game

When the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994, Major League Soccer hadn’t even kicked off yet.

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’s Chicago Bulls and the Dallas Cowboys’ glory years.

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 Ibrahimović, 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.

But as MLS grapples with being the fourth-most popular sport in America, according to Gallup in 2024, 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.

In that pursuit, the league’s first stop following the tournament’s 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 Müller and Lionel Messi, are all on the MLS All-Star roster, announced Wednesday morning.

In total, 13 World Cup players are rostered to represent MLS against Mexico’s 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’s first-ever All-Star participants.

“The All-Star game being here is a culmination of just a lot of hard work from people, including the fans, earning this,” said Tony Meola, a U.S. goalkeeper for the 1994 World Cup team and now a broadcaster.

So how did a city that didn’t even host a World Cup game earn MLS’ post-World Cup springboard game? By embracing soccer more than most places since its local club started play in 2022.

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.

While Charlotte FC’s average attendance has dipped below 30,000 this season, according to FBRef — a fall from over 35,000 in its first three seasons —it still ranks fourth among all clubs this year.

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’s draw to coach Dean Smith’s forward-minded style of play.

“The stadium was filled from Day 1,” Meola said. “It grew instantly here.”

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.

Before the World Cup, the Queen City hosted the U.S.’ friendly against Senegal, drawing just under 58,000.

Despite Charlotte not hosting any games in the World Cup itself, Scotland trained at Charlotte FC’s Atrium Health Performance Park during the group stage as the city welcomed the team’s 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.

Other talents certainly have.

“We used to shop in the buy-one-get-one-free aisle back in the day,” Meola said. “Now we’re looking at a different class of players.”

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.

Biel, however, said he’s playing in MLS because it is the best place he can be. Still, they both agree that the league is thriving.

“I certainly feel that the league is growing up a lot year by year or transfer by transfer,” Biel said. “I’m very happy to play against these kinds of players. I think MLS teams are very strong.”

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 “launching pad” for soccer in the U.S., as eyes would be on soccer following the World Cup.

“This is a soccer city,” Tepper said then. “Let’s make no mistake about that.”

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.

Imagine the potential if Charlotte FC won some hardware, too.

“This fanbase is here to stay,” Meola said. “If they could put a trophy into a case, man, it would be wild.”