Will Messi be suspended? MLS chief silent after all-star game withdrawal

Messi has played nine games in 35 days, four in the Club World Cup and five in domestic competitions, and played 90 minutes in each game.

Los Angeles, United States: Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber has declined to comment on whether Inter Miami star Lionel Messi will face disciplinary action after pulling out of the 2025 MLS All-Star Game at the last minute.

Messi, along with teammate Jordi Alba, had been slated to start Wednesday night’s highly anticipated clash in Austin, where a combined MLS XI took on a Liga MX All-Star team. But just hours before kickoff, MLS announced that both players would not participate, with no official explanation provided.

Under league rules, All-Star selections must play in the game unless excused for a valid reason such as injury. Players who fail to appear without justification typically face a one-match suspension. That could mean Messi would miss Inter Miami’s upcoming league fixture against FC Cincinnati this weekend.

When pressed on whether the league's marquee player would be sanctioned, Garber remained non-committal. “We’ll have to wait and see,” he said, without elaborating on whether a disciplinary review was underway.

"Anything that's going to happen as relates to next weekend, we're not going to talk about today," Garber told reporters.

"The game is not until this coming weekend, and we don't need to answer that. We're managing through this process as we speak."

While Messi showed no sign of injury while scoring twice in Miami's win over the New York Red Bulls last weekend, Garber did note that the Argentinian star has recently completed a punishing schedule of games.

Messi has played nine games in 35 days, four in the Club World Cup and five in domestic competitions, and played 90 minutes in each game.

"Miami's had a schedule that is unlike any other team," Garber said. "Most of our teams had a 10-day break. Miami hasn't. So we have to manage through that as a league."

"At the same time, we do have rules. And we have to manage that as well. So we would have loved to have Leo here and to have every player that was selected here," he added.

Garber said the league should have been made aware earlier that Messi planned to skip Wednesday's game.

"We should have known earlier," Garber added. "We should have addressed it earlier. No doubt about that."

Messi and Alba's participation in the All-Star game had been under a cloud after Miami coach Javier Mascherano indicated at the weekend he wanted Messi and Alba to rest.

"The players are called up. I'd prefer they rest, but it's not my decision," Mascherano said.

"I know how important the All-Star Game is, and as far as I know, there's no decision from the club -- everything continues as normal."

Messi, regarded by many as the greatest football player in history, joined MLS in 2023, just months after leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has had a transformative impact on the league since his arrival, boosting the global profile of MLS and sending ticket sales skyrocketing.

Asked at the end of Wednesday's press conference whether former England and Los Angeles Galaxy star David Beckham remained the most impactful player in the league's history, Garber replied: "MLS wouldn't be what it is today without David Beckham, but MLS wouldn't be what it is today without Leo Messi either."

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