VANCOUVER, BC – MLS NEXT announced on Wednesday that Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy midfielder Manav Badwal has been selected to the fifth annual MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate .
The match will showcase the future soccer stars of North America in an East vs. West showdown at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews, NC on Monday, July 27 at 4:30 p.m. PT, streaming live on MLS’ YouTube channel and MLSsoccer.com. With free admission to the game, fans in Charlotte can watch the standouts of MLS NEXT take center stage during MLS All-Star week.
- Fans may register for free tickets by clicking HERE
Badwal joins five previous Whitecaps FC BMO Academy players selected to the MLS NEXT All-Star Game, including older brother Jeevan Badwal:
Badwal, 15, recently became the youngest player in club history to play in an MLS NEXT Pro match at 15 years, 10 months, and 11 days. Since then, he has made a total of two starts and three appearances. Earlier this month, Badwal was named 2025-26 Whitecaps FC BMO Academy U-16 Player of the Year, as well as to the Academy XI at the annual Whitecaps FC Academy Awards.
The native of Surrey, BC becomes the second confirmed Whitecaps FC participant at this year’s MLS All-Star festivities, joining first team midfielder Sebastian Berhalter who earned his second straight MLS All-Star nod after being voted into the First XI.
The 44 players were selected following the conclusion of the 2025-26 regular season and 2026 MLS NEXT Cup presented by Allstate. To be eligible for selection, players must have been born between 2009-11 and have competed in either the MLS NEXT regular season or in at least one of MLS NEXT’s premier events – MLS NEXT Fest, MLS NEXT Flex presented by Allstate, Generation adidas Cup, or MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs.
The West will be coached by Seattle Sounders FC U-15 head coach Ethan O’Neill and Seattle Sounders FC U-16 head coach Matt Dorman. The East All-Stars will be led by Charlotte FC U18 head coach Jordan Melia.
For more information on the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy System, visit whitecapsfc.com/academy.