Loading AI tools
American professional soccer club From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami (lit. Miami International Football Club), better known as Inter Miami CF or simply Inter Miami (Spanish: Inter de Miami), is an American professional soccer club based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area.
| ||||
| Full name | Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Herons Vice City | |||
| Short name | Inter Miami | |||
| Founded | January 29, 2018 | |||
| Stadium | Chase Stadium Fort Lauderdale, Florida | |||
| Capacity | 21,550[1] | |||
| Owners | ||||
| President | David Beckham | |||
| Head coach | Gerardo Martino | |||
| League | Major League Soccer | |||
| 2024 | Eastern Conference: 1st Overall: 1st Playoffs: TBD | |||
| Website | intermiamicf.com | |||
|
| ||||
On January 29, 2018, Major League Soccer (MLS) officially approved David Beckham's expansion team in Miami.[2][3] The club garnered international attention prior to their founding because of club president and co-owner Beckham, and again in 2023 with the signing of Lionel Messi on a free transfer. Since the team began playing in the 2020 season, the club has signed several other high-profile players such as Blaise Matuidi, Gonzalo Higuaín, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suárez.
Following Messi's debut, the club won their first major trophy, the expanded 2023 Leagues Cup, which also qualified the team to the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup for the first time. In the 2024 season, Inter Miami secured their first Supporters' Shield.[4] The team's estimated value according to Forbes is $1.03 billion as of 2024[update], ranking second in the league behind Los Angeles FC.[5]
In November 2012, Major League Soccer (MLS) commissioner Don Garber confirmed the league's renewed interest in placing an expansion franchise in Miami,[6] after the Miami Fusion folded following the 2001 season.[7] A Miami expansion team led by FC Barcelona and Marcelo Claure, a Bolivian businessman based in the city, announced an expansion bid in October 2008, with plans to begin play in 2011.[8] In March 2009, the league and Barcelona announced that Miami was no longer a candidate due to local market conditions.[9] Additionally, MLS expressed concerns about Miami's lack of fan interest in an MLS franchise, the fact that USL team Miami FC was not doing well,[according to whom?] and the plan to use FIU Stadium relegating the team to a secondary tenant in a college football stadium with an artificial surface.[10][11] However, Garber said that Miami would be an expansion target in the future.[12] Claure later joined David Beckham's group of investors for the Miami expansion bid that was accepted by the league in 2014.[13]
When David Beckham, whose business manager Simon Fuller had the idea[14] of giving him an option to purchase an expansion team at a price of $25 million when he joined the league in 2007,[15] ended his playing career in April 2013, the MLS held discussions with Fuller about several expansion targets, including Miami.[16] That same year, other investors, including Italian financier Alessandro Butini[17] and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross expressed interest in owning a Miami franchise as well.[18] In 2013, Fuller and Beckham discussed plans to buy an MLS soccer team in Miami.[19]
In 2013, when David Beckham was interviewed by CNN, he thanked Fuller for the groundbreaking[according to whom?] MLS deal he had negotiated back in 2007 and specifically the clause that Fuller had insisted on inserting to the player's benefit: "When I signed my contract six, seven years ago, my manager Simon Fuller actually got a clause in the contract that enabled me to have a franchise at the end of my playing career."[20] In his December 2013 State of the League address, Garber had identified Beckham and Fuller as potential owners in Miami.[21] Later that month, on December 17, Miami-Dade County commissioners voted unanimously to allow Mayor Carlos A. Giménez to negotiate with the Beckham-led group on a new stadium in downtown Miami.[22] The league announced that Beckham exercised his option on February 5, 2014,[23] and that Miami Beckham United,[24] the investment group led by Beckham, Fuller and Claure, would own an expansion franchise in Miami, assuming that financing for a stadium could be agreed upon.[25] In presentations to officials and potential investors, the ownership group used "Miami Vice" and "Miami Current" as working titles for the club.[26] After its initial stadium proposals fell through, Commissioner Garber reiterated in August 2014 that the expansion would not be approved until a downtown stadium plan was secured and it was only after Fuller introduced Beckham to the Jorge and José Mas, that the plan was green lit.[27][28] In an August 2014 Q&A session, deputy commissioner Mark Abbott said Miami would be the 23rd team as long as a downtown stadium deal could be reached.[29] Beckham bought Fuller out in May 2019.[30]
On January 29, 2018, the Miami Beckham United group (consisting of Beckham, Claure, Fuller, Masayoshi Son [founder and CEO of SoftBank] and Jorge and José Mas, the Miami-based leaders of telecommunications and construction company MasTec) four years after the ownership's original announcement of pursuing a team, was awarded the twenty-fifth MLS franchise and was set to launch in the 2020 season.[31][32] The announcement represented part of a larger MLS expansion that would increase its number of teams to 26 by 2020 and 30 after that. Since Beckham's original announcement of his intention to place a team in Miami in 2014, Orlando City SC, New York City FC, Atlanta United FC, Minnesota United FC, Los Angeles FC, and FC Cincinnati have all begun MLS play. Paul McDonough was hired as sporting director effective August 4.[33] The team's ownership group was later renamed Miami Freedom Park LLC.[34] They announced Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, shortened to Inter Miami CF, as the club's official name on September 5, 2018.[35] MLS returned to the South Florida area in 2018, when Inter Miami CF was announced. On January 29, 2018, the Miami Beckham United group, four years after the ownership's original announcement of pursuing a team, was awarded the 25th MLS franchise and launched in the 2020 season, playing on the site of Lockhart Stadium at the new Chase Stadium. Former Fusion coach Ray Hudson would go on to work as a color commentator for Inter Miami, while former Fusion player Chris Henderson was appointed as the club's sporting director.[36][37]
With the addition of Inter Miami and Nashville SC for the 2020 season, Major League Soccer organized the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft on November 19, 2019. On October 6, 2019, Inter Miami won the coin toss for the Expansion Priority Draft, and chose to select first in the expansion draft.[38] Lists of protected rosters and draft-eligible players were released by MLS on November 16, 2019.[39][40]
On December 30, 2019, former Uruguay national team player and C.F. Monterrey manager Diego Alonso was announced as the club's inaugural head coach.[41][42] On February 14, 2020, Pizarro left Monterrey for Major League Soccer expansion side Inter Miami, following a protracted dispute between the clubs about the activation of his release clause, rejoining head coach Diego Alonso for a third time, his coach at both Pachuca and Monterrey.[43] The following day, despite not officially being announced as a signing for the club, Pizarro scored the first goal for Miami in a 2–1 preseason friendly loss to Philadelphia Union.[44] That same day, Monterrey filed a complaint with FIFA against Pizarro and Inter Miami for improper contact between the player and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham while Pizarro was still under contract with Monterrey. FIFA's investigation was still on-going when news of the complaint broke on March 4.[45]
Inter Miami's first MLS game was played on March 1, 2020, losing 1–0, away to Los Angeles FC.[46] Designated Player Rodolfo Pizarro scored the first goal in Inter Miami history the following game on March 7, in a 2–1 loss to D.C. United.[47] Their first home match was supposed to be on March 14, 2020, against LA Galaxy, Beckham's former club. The match has since been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[48] On August 23, 2020, Inter Miami recorded their first franchise victory, 3–2 over Orlando City SC.[49] On January 7, 2021, Diego Alonso left by mutual consent.[50] On January 18, 2021, England Women's manager Phil Neville was appointed as the new head coach, and Seattle Sounders FC's Chris Henderson as chief soccer officer and sporting director.[51][52][53] On March 23, 2021, it was announced that Kieran Gibbs would join Inter Miami when his contract with West Brom expired in the summer.[54] On February 23, 2023, Gibbs and Miami mutually agreed to terminate his deal at the club. He subsequently joined the club's broadcasting team.[55] On August 13, 2020, Matuidi signed for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami on a free transfer.[56][57] He made his club debut on September 6, in a scoreless home draw against Nashville SC in Major League Soccer.[58] In January 2022, Matuidi was left off Inter Miami's roster for the 2022 season.[59][60] On December 23, 2022, Matuidi announced his retirement from professional soccer after an 18-year career.[61] On January 26, 2022, Romeo Beckham made his non-competitive senior debut for Inter Miami during a 4–0 pre-season win against Club Universitario de Deportes.[62]
In 2021, the Mas brothers finalized a buyout to take over majority ownership of the team from Claure and Son.[63] On May 28, 2021, MLS announced that it would sanction Inter Miami CF, owner Jorge Mas, and former sporting director Paul McDonough for violating roster rules during the 2020 season. The club had signed Blaise Matuidi and Andrés Reyes using targeted allocation money (TAM) to comply with salary cap requirements and avoid using its three Designated Player slots, but were found to have exceeded the TAM maximum of $1.61 million per player. MLS fined the club $2 million and reduced its allocation by $2.27 million for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, while Mas was fined $250,000 and McDonough was suspended from league activities through the end of the 2022 season.[64] In May 2021, Inter Miami had to pay a $2 million fine for breaking MLS rules, as Matuidi was the fourth designated player in the team rather than the permitted three.[65] Prior to the announcement, Matuidi was reclassified as a Designated Player by taking the slot occupied by Matías Pellegrini, who was loaned to Inter Miami CF II after his contract was bought out by the club.[66] On July 19, 2022, Inter Miami had a friendly game match with the FC Barcelona losing 6–0.[67] On September 18, 2020, Higuaín signed for Inter Miami.[68] On his debut, he missed a penalty and then started a fight as Miami fell to a 3–0 defeat to the Philadelphia Union.[69] On October 7, Higuaín scored his first goal for Miami, a late free kick in their 2–1 win against the New York Red Bulls.[70] On July 31, 2022, Higuaín scored another free-kick for Inter Miami, and then netted two more goals to complete a first-half hat-trick in 27 minutes against FC Cincinnati in a 4–4 draw.[71] Higuaín retired at the end of Inter Miami's 2022 MLS season; his last game was in the first round of the MLS playoffs, ending in 3–0 away loss to New York City FC.[72]
On January 20, 2022, it was announced that Leonardo Campana would join Major League Soccer club Inter Miami on a season-long loan from Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.[73] He made his debut for Inter Miami on February 26, 2022, starting in a 0–0 draw versus Chicago Fire FC.[74] Campana scored his first goal for Inter Miami on March 6, 2022, their only goal in a 5–1 loss to Austin FC.[75] Campana was named MLS Player of the Week for Week 6 of the 2022 season on April 11, 2022, for his hat trick against the New England Revolution.[76] Campana signed with Miami on a permanent basis on January 20, 2023. He occupies a Young Designated Player roster slot and is signed through the end of the 2025 season, with a club option to extend through 2026.[77] On September 15, 2023, Inter Miami announced the signing of forward Leonardo Campana to a contract extension through the 2027 Major League Soccer (MLS) season, with an option for 2028.[78] On January 18, 2023, it was announced that Atlanta United striker Josef Martínez had been traded to Inter Miami.[79] Martínez made his Inter Miami debut in a match against CF Montréal on February 25, 2023, ending in a 2–0 win.[80]
DeAndre Yedlin joined Inter Miami on February 2, 2022, on a four-year contract with an additional one-year option.[81] "It's almost a DP signing for us, really, in terms of his quality," Head coach Phil Neville said. "He's played at the top, top level in the top soccer nations in the world. So we hope his experience, his quality, his leadership, and the fact that he's American I think is really important. We have a young, new team and we want experience in there as well." Yedlin stated "I know when I was in MLS, [defending] was a weakness in my game," after the move was announced. "Not only 1-v-1 but positionally. But now I'm coming back, being in a lot of different situations and a lot of different formations, playing different positions to a point now where I'm a lot more comfortable in those situations. I think I'm a lot better defender now than I was when I left."[82]
_(Messi_crop).jpg)
On June 1, 2023, Inter Miami announced that the club had parted ways with Neville. At the time, the club was placed last in the Eastern Conference.[83] Four days later, then seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi announced his intention to join the club as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, turning down an offer to play for Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal and ruling out a return to Barcelona.[84] Messi signed his Designated Player contract on July 15, 2023, joining the team through the 2023 MLS season.[85] Argentine and former Barça manager Gerardo Martino was appointed as the head coach of the club on June 28 and joined Miami the following month.[86]
Messi formally joined the team, alongside former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets, at an unveiling ceremony on July 16.[87] Five days later, another of his former Barcelona teammates, Jordi Alba, also signed for Inter Miami.[88] Following Messi's arrival, resale ticket prices for his first games with the club increased by over 1,000%. Inter Miami became the top selling team across all sports on e-commerce retailer Fanatics, while Messi broke the record for most shirt sales in 24 hours.[89] The average price for tickets to Miami matches on reseller StubHub increased five-fold to $161 on average.[90] After the arrival of Messi, only basketball giants LA Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors could claim to best the MLS outfit's haul of 15.4m followers on Instagram in the United States. [91] Inter Miami was named one of the top Google searches of 2023.[92] Forbes made Inter Miami its second MLS club to reach the billion-dollar valuation at $1.03 billion, a 72 percent bump from 2023. Asensi said the club would make north of $200 million in revenue in 2024, far beyond the team's revenue figures in 2022, which was reported to be between $50 million and $60 million.[93] Inter Miami was also invited to compete or participate in the Copa Libertadores.[94] On July 17, 2023, Messi's unveiling presentation gained over 3.5 billion views worldwide.[95]
Messi and Busquets made their debuts on July 21, 2023, at home in a 2–1 win over Cruz Azul in the 2023 Leagues Cup, with both players coming on in the 54th minute.[96] Messi scored the winning goal from a free-kick in stoppage time, ending Miami's 11 game winless streak.[97] On August 19, in the 2023 Leagues Cup final against Nashville SC, Inter Miami lifted its first-ever trophy, winning 10–9 in penalties after a 1–1 draw.[98] Following the Leagues Cup win, Inter Miami qualified for the CONCACAF Champions Cup for the first time in the club's history; the team will start in the round of 16.[99]
On August 23, 2023, in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup, Inter Miami beat FC Cincinnati in penalties 5–4 after a 3–3 draw in extra time to go into the final on September 27, where they lost against the Houston Dynamo FC 2–1, after Messi was unable to play.[100]
On August 26, 2023, Messi, Busquets and Alba marked their first appearances in the MLS against New York Red Bulls, which ended in a 2–0 victory.[101] Both players being brought in as substitutes in the 60th minute, and Messi netted the concluding goal. On September 16, 2023, Inter Miami were defeated for the first time in the Messi era without Messi or Alba playing against Atlanta United FC, being defeated 5–2, ending their 12-match unbeaten run.[102] On October 7, 2023, Inter Miami were defeated by FC Cincinnati, despite Messi being subbed on in the 55th minute. This result eliminated them from making the MLS playoffs.[103] The Decision Day match between Inter Miami and Charlotte FC was held on October 21, 2023. Inter Miami were defeated 1–0, despite having Messi in for the entire match. This match marked the first time for Inter Miami that Messi played on artificial turf and wore away colors.[104]
On October 30, 2023, Inter Miami became the only MLS team to have a current player win the Ballon d'Or while at the club, when Messi secured his 8th award.[105] Because of this, Inter Miami played a friendly match with New York City FC named Noche d'Or. Messi's eighth Ballon d'Or was presented at DRV PNK Stadium while the team lost 2–1.[106]
In November 2023, Inter Miami were going to visit two Chinese Super League teams, Qingdao Hainiu and Chengdu Rongcheng, in friendly matches as part of the club's first ever international tour.[107] However, it was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances in China.[108]
In the summer of 2023, plans were made for Suárez to join Inter Miami for a reunion with former FC Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba. However, his contract with Grêmio did not allow him to join the club. In October, head coach Gerardo Martino said that the club was planning on the possible arrival of Suárez in 2024, having had an analysis of the 2024 season with and without Suárez.[109] By November, multiple reports indicated that Suárez was set to join Inter Miami on a one-year deal with an option for a further year.[110][111][112] On 22 December 2023, Inter Miami officially announced Suárez would join the club for the 2024 season.[113][114] In December 2023, Inter Miami signed striker Luis Suarez with a one-year contract with an option for a further year.[115]
In 2024, Inter Miami began their first seven preseason matches of the year, going against the El Salvador national team, FC Dallas, Hong Kong XI, Vissel Kobe, and Newell's Old Boys, as well as participating in the Riyadh Season Cup against two Saudi Pro League teams being Al-Hilal and Al Nassr.[116] However, there was a massive controversy with the Hong Kong match as Messi was not active for the match due to an injury which caused fans to demand refunds and attack promotional posters of Messi. Messi would be active in the match against Vissel Kobe in Tokyo two days later, which also caused many Hong Konger and Chinese fans to accuse Messi of skipping out of the Hong Kong match in order to embarrass the local government as well as holding racist views against Hong Kongers and Chinese people due to China and Japan having had very strained relations.[117] The Argentine Football Association and Chinese Football Association paused their partnership as a result of the fallout.[118]
On October 3, 2024, Inter Miami secured their first Supporters' Shield after a brace by Messi and a header by Suárez against Columbus Crew.[119][120] On the last day of the season, Miami defeated New England Revolution 6–2, leading them to finish the season with 74 points - a league record and ensured a place in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.[121][122]
The Miami Beckham United group unveiled the team's name and colors on September 5, 2018.[123] The name was announced as Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami (Inter Miami CF). The crest, designed in style and colors that recall the city's Art Deco architectural tradition, displays two great white herons with interlocking legs forming a letter M. Between the herons is an eclipse, the sun bearing seven rays in an homage to the number Beckham often wore as a player.[124][125][126][127][128] The full achievement displays the team name encircling all with the Roman numerals MMXX representing the year 2020, the inaugural season of play.[129] The three pointed shield represents the three main communities of South Florida: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.[130][131] The club's colors are pink, white, black, and a bit of blue such as the "La Palma" jersey.[132] Inter Miami's current sponsorship is with the Royal Caribbean Group.[133]
The species of the birds in the crest was the subject of debate after its announcement and unveiling, with some speculating them to be flamingos and egrets.[134] The team later announced that the birds are white herons.[135]
In February 2020, Inter Milan sued Inter Miami for trademark infringement, stating that the term "Inter" is synonymous with its club and no one else.[136] As of 2022,[update] the case continues.[137]
The club's name has been the subject of a trademark dispute with Italian club Inter Milan, which had filed a claim with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the protected use of "Inter" in 2014. MLS filed an objection to the trademark claim in April 2019, arguing that the name "Inter" was generic due to its use by other clubs and could not be claimed exclusively.[138] The two sides signed a discrete settlement in 2021, allowing David Beckham's side to continue using their name.[139]
          2020–2021
|
     2022–2023
|
    2024–
|
    2020
|
   2021–2022
|
    2023–
|
     2024–
|
| Season | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor | Sleeve sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Adidas | — | Baptist Health[140] |
| 2021 | XBTO[141] | — | |
| 2022 | Xmanna[142] | ||
| 2023 | Fracht Group[143] | ||
| 2024–present | Royal Caribbean[144] |
On April 9, 2021, Inter Miami CF and AutoNation announced a multi-layered three-year deal.[145] In March 2024, Tudor was announced as the official timekeeper.[146] In April 2024, Lowe's launched a partnership with the club where fans could meet players at select stores and earn loyalty points.[147] Later in May 2024, Visa announced their sponsorship of the club with a deal that gives it exclusive rights to activate the brand internationally.[148]
.jpg)
_August_2023.jpg)
Chase Stadium, formerly known as DRV PNK Stadium, is a soccer stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on the site of the former Lockhart Stadium.[149] The stadium is oriented north–south for soccer configuration, so the sun won't be in the eyes of the goal keeper.[150] The stadium is the primary headquarters for the team and its youth academy in addition to further training grounds.[150] The cost of the whole renovation and creation of the soccer-specific stadium by Manica Architecture is $60 million or $140 million in total.[151] Following Lionel Messi's June 2023 announcement of his planned move to Inter Miami, the club's managing owner Jorge Mas stated that the corners of the stadium would be filled to add 3,000 to 3,200 seats to handle some of the expected demand.[152] The new sections use bleacher seating from the Miami International Autodrome, the temporary Formula One circuit built at Hard Rock Stadium for the Miami Grand Prix.[153][154] On February 20, 2024, the day before Inter Miami's opening match of the 2024 regular season, the team announced a multi-year naming rights partnership with JPMorgan Chase. The stadium was rebranded as Chase Stadium effective immediately.[155] Pyro rooftop fireworks are also installed in the chase stadium.[156]
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers announced in 2016 that they were moving out of Lockhart Stadium,[157] after which the stadium fell into a state of disrepair.[158] In late January 2019, Inter Miami announced its intentions to pursue the Lockhart Stadium site to serve as the club's training ground for its first team, USL League One reserve team Inter Miami CF II, and youth academy. The development would also include a 21,550-seat stadium, which will serve as the permanent home of Inter Miami CF II and as the interim home for Inter Miami for at least the first two seasons while the Miami Freedom Park stadium is under construction.[159] The Fort Lauderdale city council unanimously approved Inter Miami's bid for the Lockhart Stadium site in March 2019. In April, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission cleared Inter Miami to begin the demolition process.[158][160] On July 9, 2019, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission unanimously approved a 50-year lease agreement for the Lockhart Stadium site with Inter Miami; under the terms of the agreement, the city will retain ownership of the property while the soccer club will be responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the new facilities.[161] On April 8, 2021, it was reported that Inter Miami had reached a naming rights agreement with AutoNation; the agreement was officially announced the next day. The stadium was branded as DRV PNK Stadium, a tie-in with AutoNation's breast cancer awareness campaign.[162][163] A second expansion was completed in January 2024 that increased capacity to 21,550 seats. A new section in the southwest corner, along with more seats in the northeast and southeast corners, added 1,200 seats; the expansion also included six "opera boxes" and nine "theatre boxes" with suite-like seats.[164][165]
In March 2020, Inter Miami began to play in Fort Lauderdale. They will continue to do so until their new stadium, temporarily known as Miami Freedom Park, is completed.[166][167] The project will include a 25,000-seat stadium that would form part of Freedom Park, a mixed-use complex on the former site of the city-owned Melreese Country Club near the Miami International Airport. Approval for construction of the stadium depended on the outcome of a public referendum held on November 6, 2018, and approval of city officials.[168] The result of the referendum had roughly 60 percent of voters approving the measure to convert the city-owned golf course near the international airport into Inter Miami's new stadium.[169] The whole project in total is worth over $1 billion.[170] On August 20, 2019, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez confirmed a recent report that soil contamination at Melreese golf course, the proposed site for the stadium, was far worse than previously thought. According to CBS Miami, "...arsenic contamination levels are more than twice what is allowed by law. Barium and lead levels are also too high and there is debris in the soil that could cause physical hazards."[171]
This has been approved by the results of a referendum in which 60% of the voters authorized the stadium. Also Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mavel Ruiz's decision, preserved the results of a November referendum in which 60% of Miami voters authorized city administrators to negotiate a 99-year lease with the MLS team's ownership to develop Miami Freedom Park. The $1 billion stadium, hotel, office park, and commercial campus is to be built on 73 acres (30 ha) of city-owned land, currently Melreese golf course. The team would also build an adjacent public park. The MLS team, Club Internacional de Fútbol (Inter Miami), would play at least 17 home games annually in the 25,000-seat stadium. The development, being built on 131-acre (53 ha) public land, will include 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m2) of office, retail and commercial space, 750 hotel rooms, 23 acres (9.3 ha) of public soccer fields in addition to the 10.5-acre (4.2 ha) stadium, and the remaining 58 acres (23 ha) will be a public park. The club owners will also make annual installments of $20 million for 30 years for improvements to public parks across the city.[172]
The site follows a lengthy exploration of other locations since Beckham's purchase of the franchise.[173] Noted locations that had previously been considered included: Dodge Island at PortMiami (2013), the Downtown Miami waterfront at Museum Park (2014),[174][175] a site adjacent to MLB's Marlins Park (2015), and a privately owned site in Miami's Overtown (2015–16).[176][177][178][179]
Beckham announced in June 2019 that Freedom Park has a proposed launch date 2022.[180] On April 28, 2022, the Miami City Council voted 4–1 to grant Inter Miami a 99-year lease for the Melreese site, with the stadium projected to open in the 2025 MLS season.[181] On March 19, 2023, Melreese Golf Course was shut down to make way for the construction of Miami Freedom Park.[182] Construction of Miami Freedom Park began in August 2023, with intentions to open in 2025. A groundbreaking ceremony will be set later in the year.[183][184] In August 2023 it was announced that the final legal hurdle had been cleared and construction had finally commenced on the stadium, with an anticipated completion date of 2025, which is the final year of Messi's contract with the club.[185]
In late January 2019, the club announced its intentions to pursue the Lockhart Stadium site in Fort Lauderdale to serve as the club's training ground for its first team, youth academy, and future United Soccer League (USL) team.[186]
The training facility, located north of Chase Stadium, covers 30 acres (12 ha) and includes a park, youth soccer fields, and a community center. It has seven training fields and is the permanent training facility for all levels of Inter Miami's teams, ranging from their Youth Academy teams and USL League One team to the senior team.[187] The naming rights to the facility were purchased by insurance company Florida Blue in September 2022.[188] The Florida Blue Training Center includes the 5,000-seat AutoNation Sports Field, which has been the home ground of Major League Rugby club Miami Sharks since their debut in 2024.[189]
The Freedom Park site is located near Miami International Airport and the adjoining Miami Intermodal Center, a rail and bus transfer station. It is served by Metrorail trains to Downtown Miami and Tri-Rail commuter rail to the northern suburbs and counties. The Intermodal Center is located on the north side of the canal that separates the stadium site from the airport.[190]
Chase Stadium is located near Interstate 95 at its junction with Commercial Boulevard (State Route 870) in Fort Lauderdale. The stadium has three designated parking lots for pre-purchased ticketholders and an additional lot for other visitors.[191] The nearest Tri-Rail commuter rail station is Cypress Creek, but additional nighttime train service is not provided for Inter Miami matches.[192]
In April 2022, Inter Miami announced a partnership with Brightline to provide passenger trains from Miami and West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale station with a dedicated shuttle for fans. The service, named the GOOOL Getter, will have three round-trips before and after home matches.[193]
The ownership group behind the franchise was first formed in 2013 as Miami Beckham United, though it now trades under the name Miami Freedom Park LLC.[34] The original ownership group was led by Miami-based Bolivian businessman Marcelo Claure,[194] while Masayoshi Son and brothers Jorge and Jose Mas were added to the ownership group in 2017.[195] The effort originated in a contract David Beckham signed with MLS in 2007; he joined LA Galaxy and negotiated an option to own an expansion team at a discounted franchise fee.[34][196]
On September 17, 2021, it was announced that Beckham and the Mas brothers had bought out Claure and Son's stakes in the ownership group.[197] Ares Management was also added to the ownership group.[198]
The club has four official supporters groups: The Siege, Southern Legion, Vice City 1896, and Nación Rosa Y Negro.[199]
The club has a rivalry with Orlando City SC, currently the team's closest neighbors and only other Florida-based team in MLS.[200] Orlando City joined MLS in 2015 but had to wait until its sixth season to play a first intrastate match against an MLS opponent following the introduction of Inter Miami as an expansion franchise in 2020. It has been named the "Florida Derby" by the official MLS page.[201]
The club also has an intracity rivalry in USL Championship club Miami FC. It is known as the "Miami Clásico".[202]
| National | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitions | Titles | Season |
| Supporters' Shield | 1 | 2024 |
| Eastern Conference (Regular Season) | 1 | 2024 |
| International | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Leagues Cup | 1 | 2023 |
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
As of February 25, 2024[204][205][206]
| Name | Position | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Gerardo Martino | Head coach |  Argentina |
| Jorge Theiler | Assistant coach | Argentina |
| Javier Morales | Assistant coach | Argentina |
| Gerardo Andres Martino | Assistant coach | Argentina |
| Sebastián Saja | Goalkeeping coach | Argentina |
| Rodolfo Paladini | Head fitness coach | Argentina |
| Manuel Alfaro | Assistant fitness coach | Argentina |
| Damian Silvero | Video analyst | Argentina |
| Garrison Draper | Performance director |  United States |
| Chris Henderson | Sporting director | United States |
| Niki Budalić | Director of soccer operations |  Canada |
| Sam Gregory | Chief analyst | Canada |
| Xavier Asensi | Chief business officer |  Spain |
| Raul Sanllehi | President of football operations | Spain |
| Kieran Gibbs | Media director |  England |
As of September 21, 2024
| Name | Nationality | Tenure | G | W | D | L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diego Alonso |  Uruguay | 24 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 29.17 | |
| Phil Neville | England | 90 | 35 | 13 | 42 | 38.89 | |
| Javier Morales (interim) | Argentina | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 14.29 | |
| Gerardo Martino | Argentina | 65 | 35 | 16 | 14 | 53.85 |
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| Matías Pellegrini |
Estudiantes |
2020 |
 Rodolfo Pizarro |
Monterrey |
2020–2023 |
| Gonzalo Higuaín |
 Juventus |
2020–2022 |
 Blaise Matuidi |
Juventus |
2021 |
 Gregore |
Bahia |
2021–2023 |
| Alejandro Pozuelo |
Toronto FC |
2022 |
 Leonardo Campana |
Wolverhampton Wanderers |
2023– |
| Lionel Messi |
Paris Saint-Germain |
2023– |
| Sergio Busquets |
Barcelona |
2023– |
| Season | League | Position | Playoffs | USOC | Continental / Other | Average attendance |
Top goalscorer(s) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Conf. | Overall | Name(s) | Goals | ||||||
| 2020 | MLS | 23 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 25 | 35 | –10 | 24 | 1.04 | 10th | 19th | PR | NH | MLS is Back Tournament | GS | 2,216 |  Lewis Morgan |
5 |
| 2021 | MLS | 34 | 12 | 17 | 5 | 36 | 53 | –17 | 41 | 1.21 | 11th | 20th | – | NH | 14,713 | Gonzalo Higuaín |
12 | ||
| 2022 | MLS | 34 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 47 | 56 | –9 | 48 | 1.41 | 6th | 12th | R1 | Ro16 | 12,613 | Gonzalo Higuaín |
16 | ||
| 2023 | MLS | 34 | 9 | 18 | 7 | 41 | 54 | –13 | 34 | 1.00 | 14th | 27th | – | RU | Leagues Cup | W | 17,698 |  Josef Martínez |
12 |
| 2024 | MLS | 34 | 22 | 4 | 8 | 79 | 49 | 30 | 74 | 2.18 | 1st | 1st | R1/Ro16 | DNE | CONCACAF Champions Cup | QF | 21,245 | Luis Suárez |
25 |
| Total | – | 159 | 64 | 66 | 29 | 228 | 247 | –19 | 221 | 1.40 | – | – | – | – | – | – | Lionel Messi |
33 | |
^ 1. Avg. attendance include statistics from league matches only. The 2024 season avg. attendance is used from another source.
On October 9, 2019, the club announced that they were fielding a reserve team in the third tier of US Soccer, USL League One. This team allows the club to prepare future players with quality competition in hopes of being called up to the first team. The unnamed League One Miami team will train at the training facilities of Chase Stadium.[210]
The team was to open their inaugural season on March 27, 2020, against Union Omaha at Inter Miami CF Stadium but the match was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[211]
On February 24, 2022, Fort Lauderdale CF announced that the team had rebranded as Inter Miami CF II ahead of their move to the MLS Next Pro, the new reserve league for MLS teams.[212]
The Inter Miami CF Academy is the official youth academy and development system of Inter Miami CF that was established in 2019.[213] The academy consists of various levels of age groups, ranging from under-12 to under-17. These teams will also train at the training grounds at Inter Miami CF Stadium alongside their MLS and USL League One counterparts. All of Inter Miami's youth teams compete in the MLS Next soccer league as of the inaugural 2022 season. The system covers the under-12, under-13, under-14, under-15, and under-17 age groups.[214]
The team's first three matches in the 2020 season were assigned to national broadcasts; a broadcast deal was not announced before the suspension of play due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the team did announce that Ray Hudson would serve as color commentator,[215] Andres Cordero served as the play-by-play commentator, joined by Fernando Fiore as the host, and Kaylyn Kyle as the sideline reporter.[216] On April 3, 2020, the club announced a regional English-language television deal with CBS Television Stations, under which its regional matches will air on MyNetworkTV affiliate WBFS-TV, with selected matches airing on CBS station WFOR-TV.[217] Then on April 30, the club announced a Spanish rights deal with Univision, where games would be aired on its TV affiliate WAMI and radio affiliate WQBA, with a broadcast team consisting of Ramses Sandoval, Luis Omar Tapia, Daniel Nohra, Diego Balado, Nicholas Cantor and Tony Cherchi.[218] On February 23, 2023, Inter Miami named Kieran Gibbs as the media director for the team and its network.[219] Heineken is also the official beer of Inter Miami along with partnership or sponsorship made on August 6, 2019.[220] Inter Miami has many partnerships and sponsorships with certain well known companies of United States or internationally.[221] Inter Miami announced a multi-year partnership, with battery brand Duracell as its official power partner on February 15, 2024.[222] Inter Miami formally announced the renewal of its partnership with prominent, global cryptofinance firm XBTO on Tuesday March 12, 2024. The multi-year extension sees XBTO remain as Inter Miami CF's Official Cryptofinance Partner.[223] In May 2024, Inter Miami announced a premium multi-year international partnership with Visa Inc..[224]
All of Major League Soccer's regional television contracts expired after the 2023 season, with all television coverage moving to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.[225]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
