FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will participate in the upcoming expanded FIFA Club World Cup.
The tournament will start with its opening game at the Hard Rock Stadium, which is also the home ground for the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, on June 15, said Infantino while speaking at Inter’s Chase Stadium just after Messi’s three-goal performance led his team to a 6-2 victory over the New England Revolution.
This victory also set a new record for the most points in a Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season.
Inter Miami, which recently clinched the MLS Supporters’ Shield for having the best regular season record, will represent the host nation in the tournament.
FIFA highlighted that Miami’s qualification was due to their excellent performance across 34 matches, securing the shield with two games left in the season. The MLS Cup playoffs, determining the official MLS champions, are set to begin next week and end with the final on December 7.
With Miami tipped as favorites for the playoffs, FIFA’s choice of the regular season champions guarantees the participation of Messi, enhancing the tournament’s appeal.
Messi’s involvement is expected to significantly raise the profile of the revamped tournament, which aims to captivate a global audience and boost excitement in the U.S. ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The tournament will be Messi’s first encounter with top European clubs since his move from Paris Saint Germain to Miami last year.
It will feature 32 teams, including champions from FIFA’s continental confederations such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, River Plate, Boca Juniors, and Flamengo.
However, FIFA has not yet secured any broadcasting or sponsorship deals for the event, and there has been some resistance within the football community.
Both FIFpro, the players’ union, and the European Leagues have lodged a complaint with the European Commission over the tournament’s addition to the international match calendar, citing concerns over increased schedule congestion and player workload.
The previous format of the Club World Cup was a seven-team knockout competition, won by Manchester City against Fluminense in Saudi Arabia.
FIFA plans to hold this expanded format every four years, with the 2029 host still unannounced.
