Participants Include Son of MLS Great and Former FA Cup Winner
This Year’s Competition to Feature New “Bonus Ball” Element
MLS NEXT Pro announced today that four goalkeepers from the League will compete in Goalie Wars at MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T on Tuesday, July 22 (8:00 p.m. CT/9:00 p.m. ET). A fan-favorite contest from the early 2000s, 2025 marks the third consecutive year the revitalized Goalie Wars has taken place at MLS All-Star Skills Challenge and featured players from MLS NEXT Pro. The 2025 MLS All-Stars Skills Challenge will take place at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, and will be available to watch for free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
The following goalkeepers will participate in the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Goalie Wars:
- Pedro Cruz – Houston Dynamo 2: The 21-year-old Brazilian joined Dynamo Dos ahead of the 2025 season on a full transfer from Futebol Clube Ska Brasil and made his debut in the club’s home opener, a 3-1 win over Sporting KC II (90 minutes, six saves);
- Eldin Jakupović - Chattanooga FC: A 40-year-old Switzerland/Bosnia and Herzegovina dual national, Jakupović previously won the FA Cup with Leicester City and the Russian Cup with Lokomotiv Moscow, as well as started in six UEFA Champions League matches with FC Thun; he is currently tied for the League lead in clean sheets (5, in 15GP);
- Carlos Mercado – Orlando City B: The 25-year-old United States/Mexico dual national represented both countries at the youth level; he signed a first team contract with Orlando City in September 2024;
- Adisa De Rosario – Toronto FC II: A 20-year-old Homegrown signing with Canadian/American dual nationality, De Rosario is the son of MLS legend Dwayne De Rosario and his older brother Osaze stars for Tacoma Defiance/Seattle Sounders; he is currently tied for the League lead in clean sheets (5, in 11GP);
- Charlie Farrar – Austin FC II (alternate): The 22-year-old from Wakefield, England was signed by Austin FC II on April 29, 2025 after completing his collegiate career at Chowan University and UNC Asheville; he made 35 appearances for both schools and was named Big South Conference Goalkeeper of the Year both of his years with UNCA;
Goalie Wars is a single elimination tournament where goalkeepers face off head-to-head, protecting their own goal while attempting to score on their opponent by throwing, kicking, or drop-kicking the ball. Each round lasts 90 seconds, and the player with the most goals in each round wins. New this year, each goalie can play one “Bonus Ball” per round, worth two points instead of one if scored. The winners of the two semifinal rounds will meet in the final to determine the 2025 Goalie Wars champion and to take home the coveted championship belt.
Last year’s winner, Chituru Odunze (Crown Legacy FC/Charlotte FC), will be on hand at this year’s event to help crown the 2025 champion.
Tickets for MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T are on sale at MLSsoccer.com/AllStar.
Additionally, the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T will be available to watch for free in more than 100 countries and regions in English, Spanish, and French on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app. Fans can subscribe to MLS Season Pass for $69 for the remainder of the 2025 season and Apple TV+ subscribers can sign up for a seasonal subscription for $59 for the remainder of the season, through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com.
