Chicago to Host MLS All-Star Game in August

CHICAGO, IL - Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced Tuesday the 2017 MLS All-Star Game will be played Aug. 2 at Soldier Field in Chicago.

“Soccer is a global sport and Chicago is the ideal global city to host this important game,” Mayor Emanuel said. “This match will not just bring more world-class soccer to the city, it will help inspire future generations of soccer stars who are learning the game on playgrounds and fields in neighborhoods throughout the city of Chicago.”

In addition to the match, the city of Chicago will host nearly a week of events surrounding the game, including concerts, community service initiatives, player appearances, and the fourth annual MLS Homegrown Game, featuring the best homegrown players from across the league.

In an interview Friday, Chicago Sports Commission Executive Director Kara Bachman did not confirm any specifics of the events surrounding the All-Star Game, other than a free concert and some as yet unspecified neighborhood events co-sponsored by the Chicago Park District.

Bachman noted that Lollapalooza is scheduled to begin Aug. 3, limiting the options to extend MLS All-Star Game-related activities into Grant Park.

Veljko Paunovic, the head coach of the Chicago Fire, who have finished with the fewest points in the league for two consecutive seasons, will manage the All-Star Team.

Organizers and sponsors have yet to name the 2017 opponent. In past years, MLS All-Stars have played exhibitions against European teams during their pre-season tours of North America.

This will be the first such exhibition to be played in Chicago proper, although the MLS All-Stars defeated the English Premier League's Chelsea FC 1-0 in a match played in southwest suburban Bridgeview in 2006.

Photo credit: John Picken (CC)