Inter Miami will visit the White House next Thursday, March 5, as MLS Cup 2025 champions travel to the U.S. capital for their match against DC United on Saturday, March 7, sources at the presidential headquarters were quoted by The Athletic as saying.
It will be the first time that Argentine Lionel Messi, captain of Inter Miami, will attend the White House, after he was invited by former President Joe Biden (2021-2025) in January 2025 to present him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, but the Argentine declined to attend due to scheduling problems.
White House and MLS tradition in the face of Trump
The visits of professional and university champions, as in this case Inter Miami, to the White House, where the president receives them, are a tradition in the United States.
However, an MLS team had never before been invited by Trump to the White House.
Instead, it was mainly limited to hosting NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB winners.
As well as Olympic or university champions.
The last MLS team to attend the White House was the Columbus Crew in 2024, under the presidency of Joe Biden.
This as MLS Cup champion the previous year.
Controversies and historical antecedents in the White House
An MLS team had never been invited by Trump to the White House
QuéOnnda.com
Several teams have declined Donald Trump’s invitations or have not received them because of their disagreement with the president.
In 2017, Stephen Curry expressed hesitation about attending the White House before the Golden State Warriors were invited, after which Trump withdrew his invitation.
The first time a professional sports team visited the White House was in 1869, when the Cincinnati Red Stockings visited Ulysses S. Grant.
With information from EFE
For more information, visit QuéOnnda.com
