Inter Miami owner confirms Lionel Messi arrival date

Lionel Messi is coming to Miami—and after weeks of speculation, we finally know when.

Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas confirmed that Messi will make his stateside debut on July 21 against Mexican side Cruz Azul.

The game is part of the Leagues Cup, an annual tournament featuring teams from America’s MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX. The Leagues Cup began in 2019 and offers another route into the North American (CONCACAF) Champions League. Mexico’s Club León won the 2022 Leagues Cup and went on to win the 2023 Champions League in turn.

Messi’s debut will be at Inter Miami’s home stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The DRV PNK stadium has been criticized for its small size and lack of security features, but Jorge Mas believes it will suffice.

“As you may recall, Argentina trained in Miami before they flew over to Doha [for the World Cup],” Mas told ESPN. “We had an opportunity to see some of the Messi mania at our doors on an everyday basis during practice. So we’re very prepared. We’ve been getting ready for this.”

While Messi’s competitive season is over until his American debut, he’s not slowing down. Messi is spending his summer touring the world with the Argentina national team, playing friendly matches in Asia and Oceania throughout June. Messi started in a recent match against Australia and found the back of the net in just 80 seconds.