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The 2026 MLS All-Star Roster has been finalized. Just two weeks removed from the conclusion of the World Cup, nine players who participated in the tournament will pull on their boots for MLS in a showcase match and skills competition against the finest Liga MX has to offer from Mexico.
Fans voted in seven of the final selections, while Charlotte FC and MLS All-Star head coach Dean Smith chose 17 players and MLS Commissioner Don Garber exercised two picks. Nevertheless, some notable names were conspicuously absent given their 2026 form, along with high-profile mid-season arrivals Antoine Griezmann and Robert Lewandowski, who were left out after appearing in just one MLS match.
The MLS All-Stars will face off against the Liga MX All-Stars on Wednesday evening, with a Skills Challenge featuring select players scheduled for Tuesday.
Here are Sports Illustrated's five most notable snubs from this year's MLS All-Star Game roster.
Preston Judd
Preston Judd may lack the marquee appeal of some of the chosen players, and he wasn't part of the World Cup, but he has unquestionably been one of the standout forwards this season. In his fifth MLS campaign, the 27-year-old has reached new career heights, netting 11 goals across 15 matches before the World Cup break. The previous season, he wrapped up with what was then a personal best of seven goals.
A beneficiary of manager Bruce Arena's tactical system and his track record of maximizing U.S. talent, he has also thrived playing alongside Timo Werner, helping transform the San Jose Earthquakes into a genuine threat in the Western Conference. Fortunately, Arena's American players weren't entirely overlooked, with Daniel Munie earning a spot among the midfielders.
Denis Bouanga
If the All-Star Game is meant to celebrate star quality, then Denis Bouanga deserves to be there. He didn't enjoy the strongest start to the season and struggled to rack up assists while Son Heung-min was misfiring in front of goal through the opening 15 matches. Still, the Gabon international remained a consistent contributor on both ends of the pitch and, since the resumption, scored in each of LAFC's first two games back, bringing his tally to eight goals and five assists in 16 appearances.
With Son heading to his first MLS All-Star Game, including his dynamic attacking partner would have seemed like an obvious decision.
Martín Ojeda
Orlando City endured a miserable start to the 2026 season, which led to the early dismissal of manager Óscar Pareja. Despite that turbulence, Martín Ojeda has continued to perform at an elite level and has been the driving force keeping Orlando in a strong position ahead of Griezmann's arrival, which has immediately elevated the team.
The versatile attacking midfielder and forward tallied 11 goals in 15 games before the World Cup break. Although he missed Orlando's first two matches following the summer tournament, his performances throughout the season warranted an All-Star nomination. While he may not have been fit in time, All-Star selections can carry weight in contract discussions, and he had a compelling case for that recognition this summer.
Nicolás Fernández Mercau
The top scorer on the club in the league's biggest market won't be heading to the MLS All-Star Game.
While New York City FC's fanbase hasn't yet reached the heights many anticipate once the club relocates to the soccer-specific Etihad Park in 2027, having New York represented on the All-Star stage could have been a meaningful gesture. The city will have a presence through USMNT World Cup starting goalkeeper Matt Freese, though his reception may be lukewarm following a costly error at the World Cup.
Nicolás Fernández Mercau registered 10 goals and four assists before the break. After finding the net against Columbus Crew in the first game back, he sat third in the MLS Golden Boot standings, trailing only All-Star selection Petar Musa of FC Dallas and Lionel Messi, who withdrew from the event for the third consecutive year.
Daniel
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The San Jose Earthquakes may come to regret letting Daniel go. The 32-year-old goalkeeper was a standout performer in the opening 15 matches before San Jose replaced him with Scotland's World Cup shot-stopper Angus Gunn. FC Dallas wasted no time snapping up Daniel, and he delivered two saves in his debut start.
He ranks third in goals-prevented-above-expected with 4.8 across 17 games and boasts a 74% save percentage—figures that surpass both Freese and Orlando's Maxime Crépeau, who appear to have earned their roster spots largely on the strength of their World Cup credentials.