MLS All-Star Game: Chicago Fire FC’s Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Hugo Cuypers voted into ‘First XI’ for summer showcase

The Chicago Fire will be well represented at the MLS All-Star Game on July 29 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Chicago Fire FC forward Hugo Cuypers and center back Mbekezeli Mbokazi have been voted into MLS’s summer showcase “First XI,” with Mbokazi receiving the most votes out of any player in Major League Soccer.

This is the first MLS All-Star game appearance for Cuypers and Mbokazi and this is the second consecutive year the Chicago Fire have sent someone to the All-Star festivities after Philip Zinckernagel represented the club in 2025.

Hugo Cuypers, the Chicago Fire’s club-record signing, leads Major League Soccer with 13 goals in 2026. Chicago’s number nine has been a consistent force in the front of the Fire’s attack even though he missed a few matches earlier in the season

Mbekezeli Mbokazi has been a revelation for the Chicago Fire since signing in the offseason from Orlando Pirates in South Africa and will now head to the MLS All-Star Game as the recipient of the most fan votes. Mbokazi, who is with South Africa for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has featured 14 times in all competitions for the Chicago Fire in 2026 and has taken the league by storm. Now he will have the chance to shine at the league’s in Charlotte alongside his goal-scoring machine of a teammate.