Messi can skip All-Star Game after grueling World Cup, says MLS

Lionel Messi will not be required to play in next week's Major League Soccer All-Star Game after representing Argentina in the recent World Cup final, the US domestic league said Saturday.

Inter Miami superstar Messi had been sanctioned last year for skipping the annual showcase, which pits top players from across MLS against rivals from the Mexican Liga-MX.

Participation is usually mandatory, with exceptions for injury.

But this year, the World Cup took place in the middle of the MLS season, which paused for a seven-week break, and the league confirmed exceptions had been pre-arranged for players reaching the international tournament's final stages.

"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," said the statement.

"Consistent with that agreement, Rodrigo De Paul and Lionel Messi will be excused from participating in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game."

Fellow Argentine De Paul also featured in last Sunday's World Cup final in New Jersey, which Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time.

Messi had been among the first 11 players named to the MLS squad for this year's All-Star Game, which takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday.

In his absence, stars will include Los Angeles FC's Son Heung-min, the Vancouver Whitecaps' Thomas Muller, and US national team captain Tim Ream, who plays for Charlotte.

Last year, Messi and then-Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba were slapped with a one-game suspension for skipping the All-Star Game at the last minute.

MLS commissioner Don Garber at the time expressed sympathy for Messi's grueling schedule, saying it had been a "very difficult decision" and that the league's long-standing All-Star Game policy would be reviewed.

Nonetheless, Inter Miami's billionaire co-owner Jorge Mas said Messi was "very upset"