NEW YORK.- He Inter Miami of Lionel Messi will compete for the first time in the MLS in their new stadium on April 4 in front of the Austin F.C.according to the schedule for the 2026 season of the North American league published this Thursday.
The new MLS campaign will start on February 21 with Inter visiting Los Angeles FC from south korean Son Heung-Minthe other main figure of the league, in the emblematic Memorial Coliseum of the Californian city.
Inter will play the first five days of the tournament as a visitor to allow the completion of the works on Miami Freedom Park, its brand new stadium with capacity for 25,000 spectators.
In addition to the MLS, the team co-owned by David Beckham It will also compete in the Concacaf Champions Cup, a tournament that starts in February.
Messi, leader of the franchise since 2023, will champion the inauguration of the stadium after extending his contract until 2028 in October.
The Argentine star, 38, is currently embarking on the 2025 season playoffs in which he is trying to propel Inter to the first league title in its history.
The 2026 regular phase will be extended until November 7 to give way to the playoffs, with a schedule yet to be announced.
The tournament includes a competitive break between May 25 and July 16 due to the FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
After the 2026 season, MLS will change its calendar to align it with that of the major world leagues.
In 2027, a short transition campaign will be held, between February and May, and then the new format will start with a season that will run between July 2027 and May 2028.
Fernandinho confirms his retirement
Midfielder Fernandinho, former player for Manchester City and the Brazilian national team, officially announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 40 after more than two decades of an award-winning career.
Pep Guardiola’s former captain at the Citizens had been inactive since his contract ended last December with Athletico Paranaense, the club where he made his professional debut and to which he returned in mid-2022.
“There is nothing that motivates me more in football, I have already achieved everything I wanted,” he told reporters Wednesday night after playing a charity match in Curitiba, southern Brazil.
“I have enjoyed everything I have been able to enjoy. Now is the time to enjoy with the family,” he added.
