Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami hosts New York City FC (NYCFC) in the opening match of the 2025 Major League Soccer season under a schedule revealed on Thursday.
The 37-year-old Argentine star led Inter Miami to the best record in the American League last season, but the team lost to Atlanta in the opening round of the playoffs.
Miami will open its home game on February 22 against New York City FC, a game that falls between the team’s two CONCACAF Champions Cup Series matches against Kansas City on February 18-25.
Messi and his teammates will face their rivals in the Eastern Region and visit San Jose, Houston and Minnesota from the Western Region.
The David Beckham-owned soccer club will host Western rivals Dallas, Seattle and MLS champions Los Angeles Galaxy in a special match on August 16.
The Galaxy will open the 2025 season at home against MLS expansion club San Diego on February 23.
San Diego’s debut marks the launch of their 30th MLS club in the league’s 30th season, with each team playing 34 matches, split evenly into road and home games.
The league will also pay tribute to its inaugural 1996 campaign when D.C. United visits San Jose on April 6 in a rematch of its first MLS competition.
United will also visit the Galaxy on July 12 in a rematch of the first MLS Cup Final.
The 2025 All-Star Game will be played in Austin on July 23.
However, MLS will pause the season from June 15-24 for the 32-team Club World Cup and the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, both of which will be contested in American stadiums.
Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders will compete in the Club World Cup.
The 2025 League Cup will be played between Mexican MLS and LIGA MX teams from July 29 to August 31.