Inter Miami CF

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Lore & Background

The story of Inter Miami CF's 2025 season began with a change in leadership. Argentinian manager Gerardo 'Tata' Martino resigned at the end of the 2024 season after two years at the club. Sporting director Chris Henderson remained with the team through the season, contrary to earlier rumors of a move to Atlanta United FC. The team's captain, Argentinian midfielder Lionel Messi, had a contract through the end of the 2025 season. Key players like striker Luis Suárez signed a one-year extension on November 27, and the club exercised a contract option for defender Jordi Alba through the 2025 season. The preseason began on January 10 with a training camp. The team then played three overseas friendlies organized by marketing agency Never Say Never before returning to the United States in February.

In Their Own Story

The 2025 season opened in brutal cold. Miami began their CONCACAF Champions Cup campaign with a first leg hosted by Sporting Kansas City, originally scheduled for February 18 but moved a day later due to a winter storm warning. The match kicked off on February 19 with a temperature of 5 °F (−15 °C); by the end of the match, the temperature was below 0 °F (−18 °C). Lionel Messi scored the lone goal in the 56th minute as both teams struggled in the conditions. The match's referee, Marco Ortíz of Mexico, was later suspended by CONCACAF for requesting an autograph from Messi for a family member. Three days later, the team opened the MLS regular season against New York City FC with a delayed kickoff. Messi had two assists in a 2–2 draw, with a late tying goal in the tenth minute of stoppage time by Telasco Segovia. Miami played most of the match with 10 players after defender Tomás Avilés was sent off in the 23rd minute. Miami advanced in the Champions Cup with a 3–1 home win in the second leg, finishing with a 4–1 aggregate score, with all three goals scored in the first half, including two in stoppage time. For an away league match against the Houston Dynamo, Messi did not travel, and the Dynamo allowed fans in attendance to claim a complimentary ticket for a future match. Miami won 4–1 with a goal and three assists from Luis Suárez. The club ended the season with their first MLS Cup title after defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3–1 in the final played at Chase Stadium.

Reader's Guide

Inter Miami CF's 2025 season was defined by competing across multiple competitions. In addition to the MLS regular season, the team competed in the CONCACAF Champions Cup for the second time and played in the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time. They qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup in the allocated slot for the host country and hosted the expanded tournament's opening match on June 15, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The MLS regular season schedule was released on December 19, 2024, and consisted of 34 matches—17 at home and 17 away—primarily against the 14 other teams in the Eastern Conference, plus six opponents from the Western Conference. The regular season included a break for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in June, but no break for the 2025 Leagues Cup in August. The team qualified for the 2025 Leagues Cup as one of the top nine teams in the Eastern Conference standings during the 2024 season. They did not play in the 2025 U.S. Open Cup and were instead represented by Inter Miami CF II, their reserve team from MLS Next Pro. For the 2025 season, the club was permitted a maximum of 30 signed players on the first team, with a base salary cap of $5.95 million and a total salary cap of $11.11 million. As of March 3, 2025, Inter Miami CF had $3.15 million in available general allocation money.

Did You Know?

• The 2025 season was the final year for the club at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, which was replaced by Miami Freedom Park in 2026.