English Premier League side Arsenal returns to the D.C. region once again but this time as an adversary to the MLS All-Stars. The London-based club will visit D.C. during its preseason this summer to take part in the MLS All-Star exhibition game at D.C.’s Audi Field, the home of the District’s two soccer clubs — D.C. United and the Washington Spirit. The game is scheduled to take place on July 19 and both teams will participate in the All-Star Skills Challenge on July 18. 
U.S. men’s national team starting goalkeeper Matt Turner joined the Gunners before the start of the premier league season. The former New England Revolution keeper gave a FAQ on MLS to his teammates in a social media post as part of the All-Star game announcement.
Matt Turner’s preparing the Gunners for a stateside trip to remember.@Arsenal will face the best of MLS in Washington, DC, for the 2023 #MLSAllStar Game presented by @Target! pic.twitter.com/hYuCW0eb0y
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 21, 2023
D.C. United head coach Wayne Rooney will guide the MLS All-Stars team, making his third appearance in the annual contest. “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 DC,” Rooney said in a statement. During the All-Star game announcement last June, Commissioner Don Garber confirmed that the exhibition game would feature an international club team, a format previously used throughout the last two decades. In the past, MLS All-Stars have played against the likes of the U.S. men’s national team, English Premier League side Chelsea and Spain’s Real Madrid. Last year, the All-Stars faced off a Liga MX All-Star team from Mexico in St. Paul, Minnesota. 