The Major League Soccer (MLS) hopes that Messi would significantly raise the league’s visibility and increase subscribers to their streaming broadcast agreement with Apple TV. Prices for games where Messi will likely play have already skyrocketed.
His arrival will also increase the excitement surrounding the game in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup, which the United States, together with Canada and Mexico, will host.
Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets, a former teammate of his at Barcelona, is anticipated to join him there. Former Barcelona coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino has assumed the position of head coach.
Messi and Busquets may be among “three to five” new additions made by Miami’s owner Jorge Mas during the current transfer window.
The team, which is co-owned by former England and Manchester United star David Beckham, has also been closely connected with a move by another ex-Barca player, Spanish full-back Jordi Alba.
Messi is anticipated to make his new team’s League Cup debut on July 21 against Cruz Azul of Mexico.
With just five victories from 21 games, Miami is now last in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS) and rated 28th out of the league’s 29 teams.
However, the team is up against the league-leading FC Cincinnati in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner moved from Barcelona, where he spent the majority of his career, in 2021, and has spent the previous two seasons there.
Messi won four Champions League championship medals, seven Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) titles, 10 Spanish league titles, and ten Spanish league championship medals while playing for Barca.
In the World Cup final that Argentina won on penalties in Doha in December after the game ended 3-3 after extra time, he scored twice for his country and raised the trophy as captain.
Messi also helped Argentina win a gold medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics and the Copa America in 2001.
