Charlotte Lands 2025 Major League Soccer All-Star Game
Today, the North Carolina Department of Commerce and Major League Soccer announced an agreement for Charlotte to host the 2026 Major League Soccer All-Star game. The General Assembly helped make this agreement possible by authorizing the Major Events, Games, and Attractions Fund. A grant of slightly over $2 million from this fund will support the Charlotte Sports Foundation and its partners in hosting this event in 2026.
“Bringing the MLS All-Star Game to Charlotte will showcase the talent of one of the most dynamic and fast-growing sports leagues,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “The selection process for major events like this are very competitive, and we appreciate the General Assembly providing another tool to help the state to win more of these national-level events and attractions.”
In addition to supporting Charlotte’s bid, the fund provided grants to Winston-Salem to support the NASCAR Clash last February and to Rockingham County to support NASCAR Xfinity, ARCA, and Truck series races held at the Rockingham Speedway last April. The fund was created by the General Assembly in 2023 as part of the legislation that authorized sports betting. Wager activities are subject to a state tax, with 30 percent of the annual revenues from these taxes earmarked to support the Major Events Fund. Local governments and locally authorized organizing committees apply for grants from the fund, which then reimburses qualified expenses incurred in both securing and executing a major event.