MLS All-Stars vs Arsenal: When is it, where can I watch it and who’s playing?

George Dempsey
17 July 2023

Arsenal will travel to the United States capital to face a team of MLS All-Stars fielding some familiar faces this week.

Premier League team Arsenal will face a team of MLS players managed by Wayne Rooney that features Christian Benteke, among others.

When is the MLS All-Star game?

The game will kick off at 1:30am BST on Thursday, July 20 in the United Kingdom and 7:30pm ET on Wednesday, July 19 in the United States at Audi Field in DC.

Where can I watch MLS vs Arsenal?

The game will be broadcast live on Apple TV and will be available for Arsenal and MLS fans around the world.

Who is playing in the MLS All-Star game?

The yearly exhibition gives fans, players and officials the chance to vote on the league's best-performing players and pits them against Europe's elite.

Those expecting a routine Gunners victory should know that Bayern Munich, Juventus, Real Madrid and Tottenham have recently failed to win this tricky fixture.

DC United manager Wayne Rooney will take charge of this year's team which includes his leading goalscorer, Christian Benteke, and goalkeeper Tyler Miller.

Elsewhere, Premier League and SPL fans will be familiar with ex-Celtic hitman Giorgios Giakoumakis. He's scored 10 goals in 15 appearances for Atlanta United.

Carles Gil, 30, has had spells with Valencia, Elche, Deportivo La Coruna and Aston Villa, where he featured 28 times in the Premier League, scoring twice and providing two assists.

Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is certain to depart MLS soon and could even end up at Manchester United, while ex-Dortmund stopper Roman Burki provides back-up.

Mexican international Hector Herrera, La Masia graduate Riqui Puig and, quite probably Premier League-bound, Thiago Almada all feature in the midfield.

US internationals Jordan Morris and Jesus Ferreira will be joined in attack by Kei Kamara, a popular figure with 200 career goals who spent time on loan at Norwich City.

Arsenal travelled to the States over the weekend and new signing Declan Rice was pictured sat next to Leandro Trossard on the plane.

Aaron Ramsdale, Alex Runarsson and Karl Hein will form a three-man goalkeepers union, but US international Matt Turner is currently on holiday after back-to-back tournaments.

New signing Jurrien Timber is expected to get his first runout in defence while US citizen Auston Trusty could also make an appearance late in the game.

Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and the USA's Gold Cup star Folarin Balogun have also been included.

MLS All-Star squad:

Goalkeepers: Roman Bürki (STL), Tyler Miller (DC), Djordje Petrovic (NE)

Defenders: Álvaro Barreal (CIN), Jakob Glesnes (PHI), Jon Gallagher (ATX), Ryan Hollingshead (LAFC), Matt Miazga (CIN), Tim Parker (STL), Walker Zimmerman (NSH), John Tolkin (RBNY)

Midfielders: Luciano Acosta (CIN), Carles Gil (NE), Thiago Almada (ATL), Héctor Herrera (HOU), Aidan Morris (CLB) Riqui Puig (LA), Hany Mukhtar (NSH), Lucas Zelarayán (CLB), Mathieu Choinère (MTL), Jose Martinez (PHI)

Forwards: Dénis Bouanga (LAFC), Christian Benteke (DC), Kei Kamara (CHI), Jesús Ferreira (DAL), Cristian Espinoza (SJ), Jordan Morris (SEA), Giorgos Giakoumakis (ATL)

Arsenal squad:

Goalkeepers: Aaron Ramsdale, Alex Rúnarsson, Karl Hein

Defenders: William Saliba, Kieran Tierney, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhães, Jurriën Timber, Jakub Kiwior, Rob Holding, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Auston Trusty

Midfielders: Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, Jorginho, Fábio Vieira, Mohamed Elneny, Kai Havertz, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Declan Rice, Amario Cozier-Duberry, Emile Smith Rowe, Thomas Partey

Forwards: Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Leandro Trossard, Folarin Balogun, Marquinhos