Three San Diego FC players will take part in Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game against Mexico’s Liga MX in Austin, Texas.
One of them — forward Anders Dreyer — will take the stage a day earlier. The MLS assists leader will compete in Tuesday night’s All-Star Skills Challenge, the unofficial kickoff of the two-day all-star festivities. Dreyer will then join winger Hirving “Chucky” Lozano and midfielder Jeppe Tverskov in Wednesday’s All-Star Game. Both events will air for free on AppleTV and on DirecTV, Comcast Xfinity and Amazon Prime Video.
Here’s what you need to know about this week’s events:
MLS All-Star Skills Challenge
When: 6 p.m., Tuesday
Where: Q2 Stadium
Preview: Dreyer and nine other MLS All-Stars will compete in a series of skills contests against their counterparts from Liga MX. Three players from each team will square off in both a shooting challenge and a passing challenge; eight players from each team will participate both a touch challenge and a cross and volley challenge; and seven players per team will take part in something called a crossbar challenge. In that challenge, both teams will shoot from the top of the 18-yard box until they hit the crossbar five times, then move further back. Players will then shoot until they hit the “victory shot.”
Fun fact: The Liga MX All-Stars will be joined by retired forward Oribe Peralta and Liga MX Femenil standout Nicki Hernandez. The MLS All-Stars will play alongside former United States national team star Clint Dempsey and USWNT standout Lindsey (Horan) Heaps. Heaps is married to SDFC sporting director Tyler Heaps.
MLS All-Star Game
When: 6 p.m., Wednesday
Where: Q2 Stadium
Preview: The 30-player MLS All-Star team will take on the 29-player Liga MX squad in the renewal of an All-Star format that’s been played three times before. Coach Nico Estévez’s MLS team is led by Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Nashville’s Sam Surridge, who are tied for the league scoring lead with 18 goals apiece; and Dreyer, who leads MLS with 15 assists. Coach André Jardine’s Liga MX squad features James Rodgiuez (Club León) and Sergio Ramos (CF Monterey). The Tijuana Xolos’ all-star representative is midfielder Gilberto Mora, who at age 16 is the youngest player in the game. The MLS All-Stars won the first two All-Star Games against Liga MX in 2021 and 2022, while Liga MX won last year’s match, 4-1.
Fun fact: The All-Star Game serves as the unofficial kickoff for Leagues Cup 2025, a challenge series featuring all 18 Liga MX teams and 18 of the 30 MLS teams. (San Diego is taking the place of the Vancouver Whitecaps in the tournament.) Pool play begins July 29, with knockout rounds to follow. The top three teams qualify for next year’s Concacaf Champions Cup.
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