U.S. women’s national team captain Lindsey Heaps and retired U.S. men’s national team great Clint Dempsey will participate in the 2025 MLS All-Star Game Skills Challenge.
Heaps, 31, was named USWNT captain in 2023, and played a vital role in the team’s gold medal triumph at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Heaps has 38 goals in 167 career appearances for the USWNT, and plays her club soccer with French powerhouse OL Lyonnes. Dempsey, 42, retired in 2018 and is now a commentator for CBS Sports. His 57 USMNT goals are tied with Landon Donovan for the highest total in team history.
MLS has assembled a squad to take on the Liga MX All-Stars at Q2 Stadium next Wednesday, July 23 in Austin with the Skills Challenge taking place one day earlier. Each league will field 10 players and two special guests during the Skills Challenge, which will tally points from five events. Liga MX’s special guests are retired striker Oribe Peralta and Club América defender Nicki Hernández.
Here’s what to know about the 2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, including rosters and how to watch:
2025 MLS All-Star Game: MLS adds six players to All-Star roster: Who made the list?
2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge participants
Here are the 2025 All-Star Skills Challenge rosters representing MLS and Liga MX.
Goalkeepers are noted with an asterisk (*).
MLS
Jordi Alba (Inter Miami)
Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Denis Bouanga (LAFC)
Clint Dempsey (special guest)
Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC)
Evander (FC Cincinnati)
Alex Freeman (Orlando City)
Lindsey Heaps (special guest)
Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake)
Sam Surridge (Nashville SC)
Brad Stuver (Austin FC)*
Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver Whitecaps)*
Liga MX
Juan Brunetta (Tigres)
Sergio Canales (CF Monterrey)
Rodrigo Dourado (Atlético San Luis)
Nicki Hernández (special guest)
Luis Malagón (Club América)*
Kevin Mier (Cruz Azul)*
Paulinho (Toluca)
Oribe Peralta (special guest)
Brian Rodríguez (Club América)
James Rodríguez (Club León)
Alexis Vega (Toluca)
Alex Zendejas (Club América)
2025 MLS All-Star Game roster
After Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez selected six players to round out his roster for the 2025 MLS All-Star Game, here is the complete roster (including players, teams, and the method by which they were named to the team):
GOALKEEPERS (3)
Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United; vote)
Brad Stuver (Austin FC; coach’s selection)
Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver Whitecaps; coach’s selection)
DEFENDERS (8)
Jordi Alba (Inter Miami; vote)
Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; coach’s selection)
Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps; vote)
Michael Boxall (Minnesota United; vote)
Alex Freeman (Orlando City; vote)
Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union; coach’s selection)
Andy Najar (Nashville SC; coach’s selection)
Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; coach’s selection)
MIDFIELDERS (10)
Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps; vote)
David Da Costa (Portland Timbers; coach’s selection)
Cristian Espinoza (San Jose Earthquakes; coach’s addition)
Evander (FC Cincinnati; vote)
Carles Gil (New England Revolution; coach’s addition)
Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; vote)
Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC; coach’s addition)
Jeppe Tverskov (San Diego FC; coach’s selection)
Obed Vargas (Seattle Sounders; coach’s addition)
Philip Zinckernagel (Chicago Fire; coach’s selection)
FORWARDS (9)
Tai Baribo (Philadelphia Union; vote)
Denis Bouanga (LAFC; vote)
Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC; coach’s selection)
Hirving Lozano (San Diego FC; commissioner’s pick)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami; vote)
Marco Pašalić (Orlando City; coach’s addition)
Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew; coach’s selection)
Sam Surridge (Nashville SC; coach’s addition)
Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps; vote)
Note: Brandon Vázquez (Austin FC) and Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC) were initially on the roster. Vázquez will miss the All-Star Game with an injury, while Agyemang is unavailable after joining English club Derby County on Tuesday.
2025 MLS All-Star Game and Skills Challenge: Date, time, how to watch
The 2025 MLS All-Star Game is set for Austin, with this year’s event scheduled to take place at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday, July 23 at 9 p.m. ET.
The Skills Challenge will take place one day earlier, with players from both the MLS and Liga MX All-Stars squaring off in five events at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 22.
Dates: Tuesday, July 22 (Skills Challenge) and Wednesday, July 23 (All-Star Game)
Time: 9 p.m. ET for both
Where: Q2 Stadium (Austin)
Stream: Apple TV
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLS All-Star Game: USWNT star Lindsey Heaps part of Skills Challenge
