EVENT OVERVIEW:
The 2023 MLS All-Stars take on Arsenal FC, competing against each other over the course of 5 fun and entertaining Skills Challenges. There will also be an MLS All-Star Goalie Wars exhibition, featuring four MLS NEXT Pro goalkeepers, that will not factor towards the overall event winner.
ROSTER COMPOSITION:
The MLS All-Star Skills Challenge will feature 10-player rosters for MLS and Arsenal comprised of eight field players and two goalkeepers. Players named to the MLS All-Stars Skills Challenge do not have to be from the 2023 MLS All-Star Game roster.
Four of the top goalkeepers playing in MLS NEXT Pro will compete against one another in the MLS All-Star Goalie Wars exhibition.
CHALLENGE NAMES :
- MLS All-Star Shooting Challenge presented by AT&T 5G
- MLS All-Star Touch Challenge presented by Dawn
- MLS All-Star Cross & Volley Challenge presented by AT&T 5G
- MLS All-Star Passing Challenge presented by Bounty
- MLS All-Star Crossbar Challenge presented by GilletteLabs
CHALLENGE RULES:
MLS All-Star Shooting Challenge presented by AT&T 5G
To kick off the show, players will aim to hit as many of the 12 targets as possible in the allocated time to rack up points for their team
Timing: 3 rounds per team of 60 seconds for each player
Players: 3 players per team
Rules & Scoring
- Each player has 60 seconds to score as many points as possible.
- 11 fixed Targets with 10, 5, 2-point values - each target may be hit once.
- During the last 20 seconds, a moving 20-point AT&T logo target begins motion.
- The round ends when time expires, or every target is hit. If player hits the moving target with time left, they can continue shooting at active targets.
- The team that scores the most points wins 1 point towards their overall score.
MLS All-Star Touch Challenge presented by Dawn
Utilizing a skeeball scoring apparatus with varying values, players must control crosses and place volleyed balls coming from various angles into the targets, including from a ball launcher behind the apparatus.
Timing: 2 rounds per team of 90 seconds for each player
Players: 3 players per round (2 passers, 1 receiver, 1 ball launcher)
Rules & Scoring:
- Each player receives 15 balls
- 5 balls from teammates feet on left and ride sides = 10 balls
- 5 orange balls from launcher behind apparatus
- Receivers must control and kick balls from each location (right, left, launcher) and score on apparatus
- Skeeball setup will feature 20, 10, 5, and 2 point values (the orange goalkeeper balls are worth double whatever it lands in)
- The team that scores the most points wins 1 point towards their overall score
MLS All-Star Cross & Volley Challenge presented by AT&T 5G
Creativity and skill will be on display, as players connect with a teammate to score goals in style. The more style, the more points.
Timing: 2 rounds per team of 60 seconds for each player
Players: 4 players per round (2 passers, 1 shooter, 1 opposing goalie)
Rules & Scoring:
- Each goal that goes in is worth:
- 20 points for a bicycle or scissor kick goal
- 15 points for a standard one-time goal
- 10 points for a control touch and goal (can’t hit ground)
- 5 points for Half Volley (hits ground once)
- The team that scores the most points wins 1 point towards their overall score.
MLS All-Star Passing Challenge presented by Bounty
With a myriad of targets spread across the field, players must spray their passes with pinpoint accuracy in a race against their opponent to earn big points. One MLS player and one opposing player per team will compete head-to-head in up to three 60-second rounds.
Timing: 3 rounds per team of 60 seconds for each player
Players: 1 player from each team competing head-to-head per round
Rules & Scoring:
- Players race to knock out all 4 targets in their zone and make the Final Pass to earn the point for their team
- Once they hit a target, that target is no longer in play
- First player to hit the 5th target wins the round
- If both players have the same number of targets hit after time, the whistle blows to stop them. The ref will blow the whistle to restart and the first to hit the final target wins the point.
- The team that wins the most rounds wins 1 point towards their overall score.
MLS All-Star Crossbar Challenge presented by GilletteLabs
Crossbar is the culmination of the Skills Challenge. This skill will be sure to test players nerve with everything on the line with both teams participating simultaneously.
Timing: 1 untimed round with both teams competing at the same time
Players: 7 players per team, including both goalkeepers from each team
Rules & Scoring:
- Going into this event, overall score will be 4-0, 3-1, or 2-2
- To win Skills Challenge, you must be the first team to hit The Victory Shot from Zone 2.
- Regardless of score going into this challenge, each team has a chance to win the overall event based on performance in this challenge
- Teams begin by alternating chips from the 18, with each crossbar hit earning 1 point
- Teams must reach 5 total points to unlock Zone 2 – if entering tied 2-2, each must hit 3 crossbars. If MLS 3-1, MLS must hit 2 crossbars and Arsenal 4, etc.
- When a team reaches 5 points from the 18, they move off their mark (back to the holding area in midfield, prep for potential winning moment) and now Zone 2 starts shooting The Victory Shot
- First team to hit The Victory Shot from Zone 2 will win 2023 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge
MLS All-Star Goalie Wars featuring MLS NEXT Pro goalkeepers
The return of a fan favorite, Goalie Wars pits MLS NEXT Pro goalkeepers against each other as they look to defend their nets while scoring against their opponents in a back-and-forth battle featuring volleys, saves, and fast-paced action.
Timing: 3 rounds of 90 seconds each
Players: 4 MLS NEXT Pro goalkeepers, 2 players per round in a single elimination tournament
Rules & Scoring:
- Keepers try to protect their goal while attempting to score on their opponent by throwing, kicking, or drop-kicking the ball over a 90 second timed round.
- The keeper with the most goals at the end of the clock wins
- A shot must be taken within 3 steps and six seconds of recovering the ball
- Balls that are deflected over or wide of the goal or that deflect back toward the opposing keeper will be returned to the attacking keeper
- In the case of a tie, the keeper who DID NOT start with the ball in regulation will start with it in OT
- The first keeper to score wins.
- If the first attempt is scored, the keeper who just conceded will get an attempt at goal to tie it and extend the OT
- After both keepers have attempted one shot in OT, the next keeper to score is declared the winner
