Soccer <\/p>\n
CHARLOTTE, N.C. \u2013 Less than five years after playing their first MLS game, Charlotte FC<\/a> have already reached a milestone.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Boasting a trio of All-Star selections<\/a>, the third-newest club in the league will welcome the North American soccer universe to the Queen City on Wednesday night as hosts of the 2026 MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime (8 pm ET | Apple TV<\/a>).<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s huge. It shows how far the city has come and the people of Charlotte deserve it,\u201d club captain Ashley Westwood<\/a> told reporters at training on Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s a city that’s growing. It’s a sports city, and to host a game like this in its infancy is incredible. I just hope the fans turn out on Wednesday, because there’s some top players here, and really embrace the evening.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Stars at work in the QC \ud83c\udf1f pic.twitter.com\/MopOjPHkTe<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Charlotte FC (@CharlotteFC) July 27, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n For most players, the opportunity to represent a host city at an All-Star Game is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity \u2013 if that. But not for defender Tim Ream<\/a>.<\/p>\n Back in his second MLS season, Ream earned his first All-Star selection as a member of Red Bull New York<\/a>, representing the league and club against Manchester United alongside MLS legends Thierry Henry, Rafael M\u00e1rquez and Juan Agudelo at then-Red Bull Arena during the 2011 All-Star Game.<\/p>\n Now, 15 years later, fresh off captaining the US men\u2019s national team<\/a> at the 2026 FIFA World Cup<\/a> on home soil, Ream will continue his blockbuster summer by representing his club side on home soil as well.<\/p>\n \u201cAn All-Star Game is a showcase, but it’s an opportunity to showcase what the city is, what the soccer culture is here, and how big it is,\u201d said Ream.<\/p>\n \u201cI have obviously been able to experience it with different teams, the national team, Charlotte FC, and now with the All-Star Game and the eyes that it brings. It’s great to showcase what the city is about and the culture here in terms of soccer and the fan experience.”<\/p>\n Since joining MLS in 2022, The Crown have drawn sizable crowds to Bank of America Stadium and steadily improved into a perennial Audi MLS Cup Playoffs side.<\/p>\n They’ve also brought some big names to the city, the latest being French winger Allan Saint-Maximin<\/a> as a replacement for Wilfried Zaha, and earned significant transfer fees for the likes of Patrick Agyemang and Adilson Malanda.<\/p>\n While it’s still early days for CLTFC, head coach Dean Smith is confident about their overall direction.<\/p>\n “I think for some people, it might be their first visit to Charlotte as a city, first and foremost. My first visit when I came over here with my family was, we really liked the feel of the city, the culture, the people,” said the Englishman, who will take charge of the MLS All-Stars vs. the LIGA MX All-Stars.<\/p>\n “We’re four-and-a-half, five years old as a club, so we’re making history all the time at the moment. We’re setting up the club for what we want to have as long-term success. The city in general has bought into Charlotte FC. We see that with those who have been to our games. They’re fun. The supporters enjoy it. They put on an atmosphere.”<\/p>\n Smith added: “Charlotte, as a city, is very, very soccer-oriented and we’ll see that from the atmosphere, I think [Wednesday] night.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Hey now, here’s our All-Stars \ud83c\udfb6 pic.twitter.com\/Y14N2end8G<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Charlotte FC (@CharlotteFC) July 28, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Beyond hosting, the 2026 All-Star Game represents another significant breakthrough in The Crown\u2019s growth as an MLS club. It will be the first time a Charlotte player represents the club at an All-Star Game, with the team flaunting three selections in Ream, Westwood and midfielder Pep Biel<\/a>, alongside Smith at the helm.<\/p>\n “It helped at breakfast knowing that there’s Tim and Pep there to speak to,\u201d quipped Westwood. \u201cIt just shows what this club is doing, the players we can now attract, and to be mentioned as an MLS All-Star, it’s a real honor and one that we’ll represent this club very proudly.”<\/p>\n Last year, the team cheered on Agyemang\u2019s All-Star selection as the first in club history. However, the USMNT striker was unable to play in the game due to transferring to English Championship side Derby County.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, a pattern has emerged, which the current squad is eager to carry on.<\/p>\n “For us, it’s about setting standards, as always. For the three of us, it’s a chance to represent, obviously our families, the community in the city of Charlotte, the club, and we get to be the first to do it,\u201d said Ream. \u201c… To be the first, your name and your character gets put out there as the very first, and then everybody else has to then try to raise their game and their level to then be the next.<\/p>\n \u201cI think, again, it’s about setting standards and being the first to do it, being the ones to break through that and just show that no matter who you are, where you play, you can have that opportunity if you put in the work.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
Representing the Queen City<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Inaugural All-Stars<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n