Columbus Crew defender Steven Moreira and midfielder Max Arfsten named 2026 MLS All-Stars

COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew defender Steven Moreira and midfielder Max Arfsten are among the 26 players honored today as Major League Soccer unveiled the complete roster for the 2026 MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime. Arfsten earns his second consecutive All-Star selection, while Moreira is named for the second time after also earning the honor in 2024. Both were selected by 2026 MLS All-Star head coach Dean Smith of Charlotte FC. 
 

The 2026 MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime will be played on Wednesday, July 29, at 8 p.m. ET, and feature the MLS All-Stars taking on the Liga MX All-Stars at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The roster was selected through a combination of fan, player and media voting (12 players), designations by Smith of host club Charlotte FC (12 players) and a pair of selections by MLS Commissioner Don Garber. 

Arfsten has started all 15 of the Crew’s league matches this season, scoring four goals and adding four assists. In Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup action, he scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over NYCFC, helping the Black & Gold reach the semifinal round for the first time in 16 years. The 25-year-old owns a team-best nine goal contributions (five goals, four assists) across all competitions in 2026. He has recorded at least one goal contribution in eight of his past 12 appearances for the Crew. 

The Fresno, Calif., native has earned 20 caps (13 starts) for the United States Men’s National Team, recording one goal and five assists since making his debut against Venezuela on Jan. 18, 2025. A member of the U.S. roster of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, Arfsten made his World Cup debut in the second half of the USMNT’s Round of 16 match on July 6. His five assists in 2025 were the most by a USMNT player in a calendar year since 2019 (Jordan Morris, six). He provided the game-winning assist on Alex Zendejas’ goal in a 2-0 win over Japan on Sept. 9, 2025, helping the U.S. improve to 11-1-3 in Columbus. 
 

Moreira and Cape Verde recently competed in their first FIFA World Cup™, reaching the Round of 32 after earning three points in Group H, where they fell 3-2 to reigning World Cup champions Argentina after extra time. Moreira made four appearances (three starts) and registered 301 minutes during the tournament. Moreira has earned 24 caps (23 starts) for Cape Verde since making his international debut on Oct. 12, 2023. 

Moreira receives his second All-Star recognition after starting 13 of his 14 MLS matches played while posting two assists. Since joining the Crew in August 2021, the defender has made 144 regular-season appearances (136 starts), recording four goals. Moreira has posted 26 MLS assists, the 13thmost in Crew history and a Club-best by a defender. In 2024, Moreira was selected to the MLS All-Star roster for the first time in his career and won the Defender of the Year award, becoming the third different Crew defender to earn the honor and fourth overall honoree in Club history, joining Robin Fraser (2004) and Chad Marshall (2008 and 2009).  

Including this year’s participants, Black & Gold players have combined for 35 All-Star selections in Club history. Additionally, Crew Academy products Jamil Danjaji and Myles Johnson have been selected to represent the Black & Gold at the MLS NEXT All-Star Game on Monday, July 27.

ALL-TIME COLUMBUS CREW MLS ALL-STARS   

2026: Max Arfsten, Steven Moreira

2025: Max Arfsten, Diego Rossi 

2024: Rudy Camacho, Cucho Hernández, Steven Moreira, Darlington Nagbe, Diego Rossi 

2023: Aidan Morris, Lucas Zelarayán  

2022: Darlington Nagbe   
2021: Lucas Zelarayan   

2018: Zack Steffen   

2016: Wil Trapp   

2015: Ethan Finlay, Waylon Francis, Kei Kamara   

2014: Michael Parkhurst   

2010: Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Chad Marshall   

2009: Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Chad Marshall   

2008: Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Frankie Hejduk, Robbie Rogers   

2007: Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Frankie Hejduk   

2005: Frankie Hejduk   

2004: Frankie Hejduk, Jon Busch, Robin Fraser   

2003: Frankie Hejduk, Kyle Martino   

2002: John Harkes, Brian Maisonneuve, Brian McBride   

2001: Mike Clark, Brian McBride, John Wilmar Perez   

2000: Mike Clark, Brian McBride, Dante Washington   

1999: Thomas Dooley, Stern John, Brian Maisonneuve, Brian McBride, Robert Warzycha   

1998: Thomas Dooley, Brian McBride, Brian Maisonneuve, Stern John   

1997: Robert Warzycha, Brian McBride   

1996: Brian McBride, Doctor Khumalo   

MLS ALL-STAR GAME MVP   
1998: Brian McBride