Five Notable Snubs from the 2026 MLS All‑Star Roster

The 2026 MLS All‑Star Game is set to pit the league’s brightest talents against the best of Liga MX. Fans chose seven players, Charlotte FC and manager Dean Smith added 17, and Commissioner Don Garber tossed in two more. Still, the final list left out a handful of names that have been lighting up the season.

First up, Preston Judd. The 27‑year‑old striker for San Jose Earthquakes may not have a World Cup résumé, but he’s been on fire, netting 11 goals in just 15 matches before the mid‑season break. Playing alongside Timo Werner under Bruce Arena’s system, he helped the Earthquakes climb the Western Conference. Yet the All‑Star committee passed him over.

Then there’s Denis Bouanga of LAFC. He and Son Heung‑min have formed a tempting attacking duo, and after a quiet start, Bouanga exploded with eight goals and five assists in 16 games. With Son finally earning his first All‑Star nod, many wondered why his French‑Gabonese partner didn’t get a call‑up.

Martín Ojeda also missed the cut. The Orlando City midfielder‑forward kept the club afloat after a shaky start that even cost manager Óscar Pareja his job. Ojeda tallied 11 goals in 15 matches before the World Cup, and his consistency has been a cornerstone for the team, especially as they await Antoine Griezmann’s arrival.

In New York, Nicolás Fernández Mercau – the leading scorer for NYC FC – was left out despite a solid 10‑goal, four‑assist stretch that placed him third in the MLS Golden Boot race before the break. With the club eyeing a move to a new soccer‑specific stadium, a presence on the All‑Star stage would have been a nice promotional boost.

Finally, the 32‑year‑old goalkeeper simply known as Daniel. He shone for the Earthquakes early in the season, boasting a 74% save rate and a goals‑prevented‑above‑expected metric of 4.8. After being replaced by Scotland’s Angus Gunn, he landed at FC Dallas and made an immediate impact. Still, the All‑Star roster favored World Cup‑veteran keepers like Matt Freese and Maxime Crépeau.

What’s more, high‑profile in‑season signings such as Antoine Griezmann and Robert Lewandowski were also omitted after just a handful of MLS games. The selections, while understandable from a star‑power perspective, left several deserving performers on the sidelines.

The All‑Star showdown against Liga MX will take place Wednesday night, preceded by a Skills Challenge on Tuesday. Whether the snubs fuel extra motivation remains to be seen, but the conversation about who truly deserved a spot will keep fans talking long after the final whistle.