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Orlando City SC‘s Orlando City Stadium will host the 2019 MLS All-Star Game (date and opponent TBC) as officially confirmed by Major League Soccer today.
In news that was first leaked at the beginning of August, MLS have now confirmed that The City Beautiful will host 24th instalment of this annual exhibition fixture.
When Orlando City SC entered Major League Soccer in 2015, Lions officials maintained that hosting an MLS All-Star Game was a top priority and that promise has now been fulfilled.
In the 2018 MLS All-Star Game, over 70,000 spectators watched Juventus defeat MLS All-Stars 3-5 on penalties (1-1 at full-time) at Atlanta United’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium back on August 1.
While the game itself is the main event, MLS All-Star week is a five-day celebration with a concert, news conferences and the supporting 2019 MLS Homegrown Game creating a hive of activity for the city of Orlando.
The MLS All-Star Game format was adapted back in 2005 when the cream of the crop of MLS talent started facing top quality opposition from Europe including sides such as Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Real Madrid to name a few.
A concept conceived in 1996 whereby the best talent from the Eastern Conference faced the best from the Western Conference, the MLS All-Star Game has been showcased on Sky Sports in recent seasons.
Today, the head coach of the MLS All-Stars is always the head coach of the team where the game is hosted so right now, Orlando City SC‘s James O’Connor will be the man barking orders from the touchline next year.