With one eye on preparations for next season, Arsenal have been named as the opposition for this year’s MLS All-Star game, scheduled for 19 July at Audi Field in Washington D.C. And there will be a familiar face in the MLS dugout for Gunners fans, with D.C. United Head Coach Wayne Rooney serving as head coach for the All-Stars.
Arsenal will be heading back to the United States for their pre-season tour ahead of the 2023/24 season, and on the schedule is a fixture against the MLS All-Stars, who the club also faced in San Jose back in 2016. That game ended 2-1 to Arsenal, with Chuba Akpom’s late goal proving to be the winner after Didier Drogba had cancelled out Joel Campbell’s first-half opener. The All-Stars team back then featured the likes of Drogba, Kaka, Andrea Pirlo, David Villa Clint Dempsey.
Mikel Arteta added: “It’s great that we’re playing against the MLS All-Stars in Washington D.C. in July. Our US tour last summer was very good preparation for the season, and we’re looking forward to once again visiting our amazing supporters in the US. The match against the MLS All-Stars will be a good test ahead of the 2023/24 season.”
D.C. United head coach Wayne Rooney will serve as head coach for the MLS All-Stars as they take on the current Premier League leaders. The 2023 All-Star Game will be Rooney’s third All-Star appearance as he played in the 2019 edition against Atlético Madrid and played against the MLS All-Stars in 2011 as a member of Manchester United.
"I’ve had a front-row seat to watch the growth and development of Major League Soccer, first as a player and now as a manager," said Rooney. "The opportunity to lead the best our league has to offer against a top Premier League club like Arsenal will be a highlight for me personally and an unforgettable experience for our passionate fanbase here in D.C."
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