Inter Miami made history in Major League Soccer with Lionel Messi as they were crowned Eastern Conference champions and then went on to win the 2025 MLS Cup against a tough team like the Vancouver Whitecaps. However, they are not satisfied and now with their sights set on the Concacaf Champions Cup, they are already preparing for next year, which will also be a World Cup year for many of their stars, with a preseason in Latin America.
During the preseason announced by the Florida team, it has been confirmed that all its stars will be present, such as Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez, being a great attraction for the Latin public to see figures of that level against their teams and that serves ‘Las Garzas’ as preparation for 2026 when they will have new challenges.
When and against which teams will Lionel Messi and Inter Miami play in Latin America?
Inter Miami will begin this tour at the end of January 2026 with two matches confirmed so far, which are expected to serve as preparation because the MLS season will not begin until February 21 and the Herons will begin the defense of their crown with a visit to LAFC
The matches scheduled for Inter Miami’s tour of Latin America are: Inter Miami vs. Atletico Nacional
- Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
- Stadium: Atanasio Girardot
- City: Medellin, Colombia
Inter Miami vs. Barcelona SC
- Date: February 7, 2026
- Stadium: Banco Pichincha
- City: Guayaquil, Ecuador
What’s next for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in MLS 2026?
Inter Miami will have significant absentees next season as Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets have announced their official retirement from professional soccer. The board is already working on reinforcements for 2026, when their next challenge is to win the Concacaf Champions Cup, after coming close in recent editions, being eliminated in the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
Rodrigo De Paul will stay with Inter Miami, who made the purchase option with Atletico Madrid valid, but different media also report that Sergio Reguilon will be coming to Florida as a replacement for Jordi Alba. There are also rumors that Timo Werner could be the next bombshell, although nothing is official yet. It is expected that quality reinforcements will arrive so that Inter Miami can continue to dominate in MLS.
All this preparation for Inter Miami helps Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, who are preparing to defend their crown at the 2026 World Cup to be held in Mexico, the United States and Canada with the Argentine national team.
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