Messi and Son headline MLS season as league eyes World Cup boost
Lionel Messi is starting another season with Inter Miami as Major League Soccer aims to capitalize on rising interest ahead of the World Cup. The league is making a splash with a high-profile opening match featuring Son Heung-min and a record crowd expected. MLS leaders are hoping the World Cup will drive more fans and players to the league. Several new international stars have joined, and big changes are planned for the league’s schedule.
Match highlights
- Lionel Messi begins his fourth year with Inter Miami, facing Son Heung-min’s Los Angeles FC in the season opener at the Memorial Coliseum.
- The MLS season will be split in two by the 2026 World Cup, with a seven-week interruption for the tournament.
- Five MLS stadiums will host World Cup matches, and many more will serve as training facilities and fan zones.
- New signings this year include James Rodriguez, German Berterame, and Timo Werner, joining other international stars in the league.
- MLS plans to switch to a summer-through-spring schedule beginning July 2027, aligning with major European leagues.
