Diego Luna and Denis Bouanga join MLS Great Clint Dempsey and U.S. Women’s National Team star Lindsey Heaps on roster set to face LIGA MX in ultimate test of soccer skills;
MLS NEXT Pro goalkeepers to face off in third annual Goalie Wars competition
NEW YORK (Tuesday, July 15, 2025) – The best talents from Major League Soccer and Mexico’s top soccer league, LIGA MX, will square off in a test of soccer skills at the highly anticipated 2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T. Taking place at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas on Tuesday, July 22 at 8 p.m. CT, the event will be streamed live exclusively on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV in both English and Spanish.
Joining the MLS and LIGA MX All-Stars are legends Clint Dempsey and Oribe Peralta, along with U.S. Women’s National Team star Lindsey Heaps and LIGA MX Femenil standout Nicki Hernández. This marks the second year in a row that MLS and LIGA MX greats, alongside two of the best female players in North America, will join the All-Stars in the Skills Challenge.
The competition is comprised of five head-to-head contests rooted in the sport, each requiring ball control, accuracy, strategy, and teamwork. For more information about the five challenges, click here.
CBS Sports analyst, U.S. Men’s National Team stalwart, and a Texas native, Dempsey will return to his home state to take part in the competition after a storied career with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, the New England Revolution, and Seattle Sounders FC. Heaps, who plays for OL Lyonnes (France) and stars with the U.S. Women’s National Team, will also compete on Tuesday night, bringing her signature flair and World Cup-winning pedigree to the event. Representing Mexico are former LIGA MX veteran and Olympic gold medalist Peralta, and standout Mexico Women’s National Team defender Hernández who is currently starring for Club América.
Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Denis Bouanga (LAFC), and Evander (FC Cincinnati) are among the top MLS players headlining the 2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge roster. In total, the group represents nine different clubs across the league with each player selected for their skill in shooting, touch, and passing.
Four participants on the MLS roster have previously competed in the All-Star Skills Challenge, including Evander, Luna, Bouanga, and Jordi Alba. The remaining players – Sebastian Berhalter, Anders Dreyer, Alex Freeman Sam Surridge, Brad Stuver, and Yohei Takaoka – are set to make their debut in the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T.
For player bios and a listing of which event each player will participate in, click here.
Tickets for the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T are on sale now and can be purchased here. MLS and LIGA MX will compete on behalf of 4ATX Foundation and MAS Cultura resulting in $25,000 donations to their respective charities.
LIGA MX currently leads the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge series, presented by AT&T, 2-1. LIGA MX won the inaugural competition in Los Angeles in 2021, with former Cruz Azul and current Portland Timbers forward Jonathan Rodríguez striking the winning shot in the Crossbar Challenge presented by Gillette (Watch Here). MLS responded in 2022, taking the honors in Minnesota when Nashville SC midfielder Hany Mukhtar struck the decisive hit in the Crossbar Challenge presented by Gillette (Watch Here). In 2024, LIGA MX reclaimed the intercontinental rivalry, as they edged MLS in a back-and-forth contest at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. Cruz Azul defender Gonzalo Piovi sealed the win with the final kick of the evening, hitting the crossbar for the victory shot.
Following its successful showings in 2023 and 2024, the fan-favorite Goalie Wars competition returns to the 2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T. During Tuesday’s event, four MLS NEXT Pro goalkeepers will compete head-to-head in a single-elimination tournament, defending their own net while trying to score on their opponent by throwing, kicking, or drop-kicking the ball. It will be a back-and-forth battle for three 90-second rounds as the goalkeepers test their shot-stopping abilities and goal-scoring touch. To add even more drama this year, each goalie can play one “Bonus Ball” per round, worth two points instead of one if scored.
The MLS NEXT Pro goalkeepers competing in the 2025 edition of Goalie Wars will be: Eldin Jakupović (Chattanooga FC), Pedro Cruz (Houston Dynamo 2), Carlos Mercado (Orlando City B), and Adisa De Rosario (Toronto FC II). The quartet will compete for a one-of-a-kind, custom championship belt. Watch Video | Download Assets
