MLS All-Star Game set for Soldier Field in Chicago this summer
The 2017 MLS All-Star Game is set for August 2 in Chicago, broadcast live on FS1.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced Tuesday the details of the All-Star Game, including that it will be played at Soldier Field in Chicago. The move is a departure from the previous six MLS All-Star Games, which have been hosted at MLS-specific venues.
The opponent facing MLS All-Stars is yet to be determined, but Garber said "you can assume it'll be one of the top five teams in the world." Recent previous opponents have included Arsenal (2016), Tottenham Hotspur (2015) and Bayern Munich (2014).
Veljko Paunovic, the head coach of the Chicago Fire, will manage the All-Star Team. Selection of the players will done later in the season and in recent years the roster has been decided through the MLS All-Star coach's picks, a fan vote, and picks from Garber.
Although the match will not be held at the Chicago Fire's home – Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois – Soldier Field has a long history of hosting big soccer matches, including at Copa America last summer and in the 1994 World Cup. Chicago hosted a previous MLS All-Star Game in 2006 at Toyota Park.
