The long-awaited All-Star game clash between the MLS and Liga MX is set to take place on Wednesday August 25th at 10:30 PM EST, before the main event both leagues have an interesting appetizer, the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge.
The Skills Challenge will take place on August 24th at 9 PM EST, and the event will be broadcast by FS1 and TUDN in the U.S., TSN and TVA Sports in Canada, and on ESPN in Latin America. The festivities will include celebrity coaches and two teams of eight that will partake in five skill tests.
The skills competition has long been a part of American All-Star game culture, the NBA dunk competition comes to mind, and MLS has experimented with skill challenges at various points in its history. With the MLS and Liga MX working closely together as the 2026 World Cup approaches, look for these types of events to continue to promote both leagues in the future. Here is everything you need to know about the 2021 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge.
The Rosters
Rodrigo Funes Mori andRaul Ruidiaz
Both leagues will present 8 participants and 2 celebrity coaches, for MLS fans there will be some familiar faces on the bench.
MLS Participants:
Nani – Orlando City SC
Ricardo Pepi – FC Dallas
Rodolfo Pizarro – Inter Miami CF
Diego Rossi – LAFC
Raul Ruidiaz – Seattle Sounders FC
Lucas Zelarayán – Columbus Crew
Andre Blake – Philadelphia Union
Matt Turner – New England Revolution
Celebrity guest coaches: Cobi Jones and Noah Beck
LIGA MX Participants:
Alexis Canelo – Toluca
Rodrigo Funes Mori – C.F. Monterrey
Orbelín Pineda – Cruz Azul
Jonathan Rodríguez – Cruz Azul
Rubens Sambueza – Deportivo Toluca F.C.
Diego Valdés – Santos Laguna
Alfredo Talavera – Pumas UNAM
Nahuel Guzmán – Tigres UANL
Celebrity guest coaches: Jorge Campos and Juanpa Zurita
Shooting Challenge
Rubens Sambueza (Getty)
Just how spot on are these All-Stars with their accuracy? Each player will shoot at targets from various distances and will win points based on the level of their accuracy.
Touch Challenge
Rodolfo Pizarro (Getty)
Players will show off their skills as each All-Star will have to control various balls coming at them from different angles and dominate them.
Cross & Volley Challenge
Diego Rossi (Getty)
One player crosses and another tries to volley their teammates cross. Things could get spectacular in this challenge. The better the finish the bigger the points earned for their team!
Passing Challenge
Orbelín Pineda (Getty)
Targets will be placed at various points on the field and the participants will have to place their passes perfectly to earn points for their team.
Crossbar Challenge
Nani (Getty)
A must do for any player, the All-Star will have to hit the crossbar from a certain distance to earn points for their team. This is one of the main practice routines of many teams around the world to test a players skill and precision.
