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Lionel Messi’s sensational debut at Inter Miami has the MLS club pushing for its long-awaited $1 billion stadium project.
Miami Freedom Park — a 131-acre development built around a $350 million soccer-specific stadium — is now scheduled to open in 2025. Messi is signed with Inter Miami through that year, when he will turn 38.
During Miami’s nine-game win streak since Messi’s arrival, its four home matches have been played at the 21,000-seat DRV PNK Stadium. The new venue at Miami Freedom Park will have a slightly larger capacity of 25,000.
It’s unclear if the new stadium will be open in time for the start of the 2025 MLS season, which will likely begin in late February. Construction has begun on the venue, and an official groundbreaking ceremony will take place later this year.
Any delays from this point on could bring the possibility of a stadium opening without Messi. The club is already projecting $200 million in revenue next year — nearly quadruple its projection for this year — and a third season of Messi plus a new stadium would likely take that number even higher in 2025.
However, Messi could opt to play for Inter Miami beyond 2025, furthering the club’s capitalization on the superstar. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will include matches at the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium, and Argentina is building a training facility in Miami — meaning South Florida could be in for even more Messi Mania in the coming years.
