Inter Miami arrives to the 2026 MLS season as the most mediatic team in U.S. soccer and the brand new champion of the MLS Cup 2025, a title it won with authority over the Vancouver Whitecaps. Under the leadership of Javier Mascherano, the club managed to consolidate a project that combines global stars such as Lionel Messi with young talents trained in its academy.
Excitement for the new cycle has not taken long to be unleashed. The official schedule confirmed that the inaugural match of MLS 2026 will be an explosive LAFC vs. Inter Miami, scheduled for February 21 at the historic Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. The stadium, capable of seating over 78,000 spectators, is set to host one of the most anticipated premieres in league history.
Tickets are sold out due to Messi’s furor
Dona y cambia vidas
Tu donativo brinda terapias, esperanza y un futuro sin límites a niños con discapacidad. Haz la diferencia hoy.
The demand for tickets has been simply overwhelming.
According to the most recent data, most of the enabled sections are already almost sold out.
Resale has driven up prices in a market where tickets initially ranged from $100 to $800 on official platforms.
The Messi effect, coupled with the attraction of facing defending champions Inter Miami, has made this matchup one of the most coveted sporting events at the start of 2026.
For the U.S. Hispanic community, the match has a special appeal:
It is a clash between two teams with strong Latino fan bases and representing markets with a huge migrant presence such as Miami and Los Angeles.
In addition, both LAFC and Inter Miami have strengthened their cultural identity through Latin American players, community campaigns and a growing bilingual fan base.
A preview of a possible final
In sporting terms, the duel also offers a possible preview of what could be the MLS Cup 2026.
Both teams have competitive squads, solid structures and high-level technical staffs.
LAFC, led by a project that seeks to return to dominating the Western Conference, aims to regain prominence after an inconsistent 2025.
Inter Miami, for its part, arrives with the confidence of the champion and with a squad that could be further strengthened during the winter window.
The demand for tickets has been simply overwhelming
QuéOnnda.com
If both maintain the expected level, it would not be unreasonable to imagine that the opening match and the 2026 final could feature the same protagonists.
For now, the only certainty is that the debut between LAFC and Inter Miami will mark a before and after in MLS.
With an imposing stage, a champion on fire and a Messi who continues to mobilize crowds in every city he visits.
For more information, visit QuéOnnda.com.
