Is 2026 already a failure for Inter Miami?

When Inter Miami lifted the 2025 MLS Cup last December, owner Jorge Mas didn't waste much time celebrating. Mere hours after the trophy presentation, Mas was on social media, talking to the fans about what was coming next.

"The best version of your Inter Miami is yet to come," he wrote. "We promise our fans and ‘La familia’ that we will reload in 26’ as our primary goal is to win the ConcaChampions and qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup."

The Concacaf Champions Cup — known colloquially as ConcaChampions or CCC and serving as North America's answer to the Champions League — made sense as a goal for Miami. The club had already won the Leagues Cup, the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup in successive seasons. Domestic dominance was old news. Continental dominance, though? That held serious appeal.

Just three months later, though, that continental dominance is off the table. Miami was eliminated from the Concacaf Champions Cup in the Round of 16 by MLS peer Nashville SC. It was a brutal end to a short campaign, and one that begs an important question: Is 2026 already a failure for ambitious Miami?

An unexpected killer

Miami must've been jumping for joy when it learned it would be facing Nashville in the Round of 16. The two clubs always seem to draw each other in big competitions, and Miami always seems to win. In fact, Nashville entered this tie having been eliminated from four consecutive tournaments by Miami: the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2023 U.S. Open Cup. 

Nashville's league record against Miami wasn't any better. Over the same time period, its head-to-head stats made for dire reading: played five, won zero, drawn one, lost four, outscored 12-6.

Nashville did a "reloading" project of its own in 2026, bringing in former San Jose stalwart Cristian Espinoza to feed its attacking duo of Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar. But its investments were insignificant compared to Miami's. Nashville spent $2.35 million on players to prep for 2026; Miami spent $47.25 million.

Getting eliminated from the Concacaf Champions Cup this early would've been humiliating for Miami under any circumstances. Getting eliminated by Nashville — a team it's outplayed, outspent and outranked for three consecutive seasons — is on another level.