Messi's Inter Miami debut to take place July 21 in Leagues Cup match
Inter Miami fans, really all soccer fans, can officially set their calendar for Lionel Messi's debut with his new squad.
Managing owner Jorge Mas told reporters Monday that Messi will make his Inter Miami debut July 21 in a Leagues Cup matchup against Mexican club Cruz Azul, which will be held at Inter Miami's home stadium, DRV PNK Stadium.
Mas also shared that the club is still finalizing its deal with Messi, which is reportedly a two-and-a-half-year contract worth between $50-$60 million annually. There's also an option for the 2026 season as part of the deal.
With Messi signing the richest deal in MLS history, there were some rumors and speculation that the league bent some rules to allow the deal to happen. Mas vehemently denied that being the case.
"[There are] absolutely no changes in the roster rules," Mas told reporters. "There are no categories or anything that is being changed to incorporate Lionel Messi onto Inter Miami’s roster."
Mas certainly is aware of how big of a deal Messi's MLS arrival is though, calling it "the one seminal moment" in American soccer history.
"I think there will always be a before and after Messi when we talk about the sport in the United States," Mas said. "I have a very, very strong-held belief that we can create in North America and the United States if not the greatest league, one of the top two leagues in the world. I cannot overemphasize the magnitude of this announcement.
"Having the world’s greatest player here is something that is significant for our league, and for the football ecosystem in the United States. … Lionel Messi is coming to this country to win cups and make a difference. I think it’s incumbent upon myself and my partners in the league, the other owners, to seize the moment."
Highlights of the MLS' next star, Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi
Mas and Inter Miami have already felt the impact of Messi's looming arrival before he has even played a match with his new squad. Mas said that the demand for tickets have been "10 times what we can handle on a season ticket basis."
To help accompany the demand for tickets, Mas said that the team has already contracted to expand seating in the stadium by roughly 3,000 seats, increasing the 18,000-seat capacity of DRV PNK Stadium.
Messi isn't the only international star set to join Inter Miami this summer. Sergio Busquets, who played with Messi at FC Barcelona, is reportedly finalizing a deal to play for Inter Miami.
Mas didn't discuss the team's pursuit of Busquets on Monday, but confirmed that more signings are on the way.
"We’ve been preparing our roster for Messi’s arrival in [2023], so we left an enormous amount of flexibility," Mas said. "We will be making additional signings during the summer window, more than what people anticipate. We do not have to dismantle our team. We do not have to clean house, but I can say we will potentially be making between three and five signings."
When Messi arrives to Inter Miami, he'll be joining a squad that will likely be toward the bottom of the MLS standings. Inter Miami is in last place in the Eastern Conference with 15 points this season.
It's unknown when Messi will play his first MLS match, but Inter Miami's first MLS game following Messi's debut won't happen until Aug. 20 when it hosts Charlotte FC.
