"This is a stadium that was born out of a dream," Jorge Mas said. Six years ago, Inter Miami didn't exist. Now they've got a $350 million ground with a stand named after a living player, and Lionel Messi is expected to be in the starting XI when it officially opens Saturday against Austin FC.
David Beckham was among the first to kick a ball on the pitch during Thursday's open training session for season ticket holders. Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Luis Suárez followed shortly after, giving several thousand fans their first real look at the 26,700-seat venue. It officially opens April 4 at 7:30 p.m.
A stadium designed to intimidate
The European-style, soccer-specific design is deliberate. Tight, loud, and purpose-built for football — not converted from a baseball diamond or shared with an NFL franchise. Mas wants it to be "the home of football in the United States," and the layout backs that ambition.
Seats alternate in pink, gray, and white, with black seats spelling out Inter Miami and shaping a heron across the stands. Large photos from the 2025 MLS Cup title run line the first concourse. Everything here is pointed at one message: this club has arrived.
The Leo Messi Stand — sections 117-121 in the lower bowl, 217-223 in the upper — is dedicated to the two-time MLS MVP. Naming a stand after a player who is still actively playing for the club is almost unheard of at any level. Mas said he told Messi about it directly: "For a living player, that's unheard of. It's going to be amazing."
Messi's fitness and the opener
There's one caveat. Messi was limited in training after a two-game stint with Argentina, though he's expected to start Saturday. That's the kind of qualifier that should make anyone backing Inter Miami at home on the opening night think twice — not because of the opponent, but because a half-fit Messi in an emotionally charged debut fixture is a wildcard, not a certainty.
Coach Javier Mascherano kept it simple: "Hopefully, Saturday, the stadium will be full. It's almost sold out. It'll be a great day for everybody that has been with the club."
- Capacity: 26,700 seats
- Cost: $350 million
- Opening match: Inter Miami vs Austin FC, April 4, 7:30 p.m.
- The Leo Messi Stand: sections 117-121 (lower), 217-223 (upper)
- Some seats still to be installed and numbered before kickoff
Construction around the stadium and parking garage won't be finished by Saturday. Sectioned-off fan walkways are in place, and security is heavy. Mas acknowledged there are still things to "finish and touch up" — but the pitch is ready, the seats are mostly in, and the crowd will show up regardless.
