Why Lionel Messi won't play in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game

Lionel Messi will not make an appearance in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game.

The gifted player, who made waves during the FIFA World Cup 2026 for Argentina, will leave fans at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, with an overwhelming sense of disappointment that they won’t be able to witness his greatness on the field.

Lionel Messi is resting rather than playing in the 2026 MLS All-Star Game

It’s fair to say Lionel Messi had an eventful summer, with the football wizard producing sensational performances to drag Argentina all the way to the final of the biggest competition in all of sport.

Now, with the tournament over, attention has switched to the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, which takes place in a matter of hours, and once again, the legend won’t play. Messi missed the fixture in 2023 because he’d only just signed for Inter Miami. Then in 2024, he didn’t feature because an ankle injury in the Copa America final against Colombia left him sidelined, and in 2025, he failed to make it to the pitch due to fatigue from the season.

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This streak is set to continue, with Messi, who’s yet to return to Inter Miami, missing the match once again, this time due to the physical demands of the World Cup.

The MLS has deemed this reason acceptable, and thus, the 39-year-old won’t receive any disciplinary action. When Messi didn’t play last season, he received a one-game ban, as the league concluded that there was no sufficient justification.