MLS making big plans for Lionel Messi's playoff debut

Major League Soccer already is making preparations for superstar Lionel Messi's MLS Cup playoff debut, even though his Inter Miami CF team's opponent hasn't been set.

Inter Miami, which clinched their first Supporters' Shield on Wednesday with a 3-2 win against the Columbus Crew, will play their first postseason match on Oct. 25 on their home turf in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

As the No. 1 seed, the Herons will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Expecting massive fan interest, MLS announced Thursday that the opener will be livestreamed for free on Apple TV and aired as it happens on the gargantuan 25,000-square-foot video screen at Times Square in New York. It will be a standalone game on the MLS schedule.

Inter Miami will meet the winner of the Eastern Conference wild-card match, set for Oct. 22 between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds. CF Montreal (10-12-10, 40 points) and Toronto FC (11-18-4, 37 points) currently hold those spots, respectively.

The full MLS Cup playoff bracket will be known Oct. 19, on the final day of regular-season play.

After a career spent abroad, Messi, 37, joined MLS in July 2023 and Inter Miami went on to win the Leagues Cup title but did not qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs. The Supporters' Shield is Messi's 46th career trophy.

--Field Level Media