Messi has been officially ruled out of the 2026 MLS All-Star Game.

Lionel Messi is missing the 2026 MLS All-Star match due to extended World Cup participation, preventing the highly expected combination with Son Heung-min from taking place.

Major League Soccer (MLS) organizers have officially confirmed that Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul will both miss the 2026 MLS All-Star Game. This decision means fans will not see Messi team up with Son Heung-min against the Liga MX All-Star squad.

According to Star News Korea, MLS announced on July 26 that four players were removed from the match roster for various reasons, including Inter Miami duo Messi and De Paul.

The vacant spots were filled by Chicago Fire's Philip Zinckernagel, Inter Miami's Yannick Bright, Vancouver Whitecaps' Andrés Cubas, and Houston Dynamo's Guilherme.

Messi's absence was considered unavoidable after a long journey with the Argentine national team at World Cup 2026. The 39-year-old superstar helped the Albiceleste reach the final against Spain, so he needs more rest before returning to play for Inter Miami.

According to US media, MLS and the MLS Players Association have agreed that the timing of players participating in the World Cup returning to their clubs will be decided through separate agreements between each player and their parent club. Therefore, Inter Miami has informed the organizers that Messi and De Paul cannot attend the All-Star event.

Currently, the timing of Messi's return to the Inter Miami lineup has not been determined. The reigning World Cup champion had to endure a heavy schedule with Argentina, while the All-Star game was held just days after the end of the biggest tournament on earth.

Messi's absence is regrettable because earlier, he and Son Heung-min were both voted by fans into the MLS All-Star lineup. The prospect of the two biggest stars of the league playing on the same team had generated special attraction in the US as well as South Korea.

Fans were even more eager to see Messi and Son combine for goals when the MLS All-Stars face a selection of top Liga MX stars. However, this dream partnership will have to be postponed at least to another occasion.

Despite Messi's absence, Son Heung-min remains one of the most notable faces of the MLS All-Star. The South Korean captain is also named in the list for the skills competition held before the main match.

The match between the MLS All-Stars and the Liga MX All-Stars takes place at 7:00 AM on July 30 (Vietnam time) at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.