MLS NEXT today announced details of the inaugural MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate, which will provide a world-class experience for 44 of the best young players in North America to showcase their talent on a national stage. Forty-four of the top MLS NEXT players, 22 per team, will compete in an East vs. West format at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn. on the day of the MLS All-Star Game, Wednesday, August 10.
MLS NEXT and Allstate will provide the selected players with a once-in-a-lifetime player experience during MLS All-Star Week, with a full slate of evening programming events and activities in advance of gameday. The players will be fully integrated into MLS All-Star Week festivities while training and competing in their own All-Star Game.
“The MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate provides us the opportunity to celebrate and recognize many of the top young players competing in our league and give them a large platform to showcase their talents,” said MLS Vice President, Player and Youth Development Fred Lipka. “These players will have a true MLS All-Star experience ahead of their game, and we hope that participating in this game will only strengthen the drive of these young stars as they look towards competing on the professional level.
“This partnership is an extension of our goal to preserve, protect, and grow the future of the sport in North America,” said Allstate Director, Sponsorships and Consumer Engagement Dan Keats. “We hope our support of MLS NEXT will help advance the game and positively impact the next generation of MLS stars for years to come.”
The 44 players will be chosen by the MLS NEXT Player Selection Committee, which is made up of key MLS Player Development department personnel, following the conclusion of the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase. Players must be U-18 (born in 2004 or earlier) and have competed in one of the MLS NEXT national showcase events this season, including MLS NEXT Fest, MLS NEXT Flex, Generation adidas Cup, and MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase. Complete rosters will be announced later this summer.
The MLS NEXT Player Selection Committee will also advise on the selection of the coaching staff for both East and West teams, with each coaching staff comprised of a head coach, two assistant coaches, a goalkeeper coach, and a fitness and strength coach. The full coaching staff for both teams will be announced at a later date.
The match will be streamed live and further tune-in details will be available at a later date. Admission to the MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate at the National Sports Center is free of cost.
As part of today’s MLS NEXT All-Star Game news, Allstate, the official insurance partner of Major League Soccer, is deepening its commitment to soccer by also announcing a multi-year extension of their partnership with the League. Allstate’s dedication to youth soccer and its players is central to its relationship with MLS.
