Lionel Messi escapes ban for skipping MLS All-Star game

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FT Desk

Lionel Messi has escaped punishment for skipping Major League Soccer's All-Star Game for the second year in a row.

In 2025, the Argentine was given a one-match ban for missing the exhibition fixture - a decision which Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas called "draconian".

In 2026, though, he and team-mate Rodrigo De Paul have been given permission to miss the All-Star game due to their participation in the World Cup all the way to the final on 19 July.

"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," an MLS statement on Saturday read.

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

Neither Messi nor De Paul played in Inter Miami's league wins over Chicago Fire or CF Montreal since the World Cup.

The MLS All-Star Game is Major League Soccer's annual exhibition match that brings together many of the league's top players.

Rather than being part of the regular season, it is a special event designed to celebrate the league and showcase its biggest stars. Players are chosen through a combination of fan voting, media and player votes, selections by the All-Star coach, and a few picks made by the MLS Commissioner.

In recent years, the match has most commonly been played between the MLS All-Stars and the Liga MX All-Stars. In previous years, the MLS All-Stars also faced famous European giants such as Real Madrid, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Manchester United.

During All-Star Week, fans can enjoy events such as the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, where players compete in contests testing their shooting, passing, dribbling, and technical ability.

The 2026 edition takes place this Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina.