Announcement of Messi's debut match with Inter Miami in 2026

Inter Miami has confirmed a South American tour prior to the start of the new season.

Inter Miami will kick off 2026 with a preseason tour in South America, stopping in Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador to prepare for the upcoming MLS season.

According to the schedule, the Florida-based club will begin their friendly matches on January 24 at Estadio Alejandro Villanueva, where they will face Alianza Lima, one of Peru's most historic clubs with 25 national championships. One week later, Lionel Messi and his teammates will travel to Colombia to compete against Atletico Nacional at Estadio Atanasio Girardot, before concluding the tour with a match against Barcelona de Guayaquil on February 7 at Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha.

Atletico Nacional, commonly known as Los Verdolagas, is one of Colombia’s most successful teams with 18 national league titles, along with two Copa Libertadores and two Copa Interamericana trophies. Meanwhile, Barcelona de Guayaquil is Ecuador’s most decorated club with 16 national championships, and this match will mark Inter Miami’s first visit to this South American nation.

After completing the tour, Inter Miami will return to Florida to prepare for their MLS season opener against LAFC on February 21.

Led by coach Javier Mascherano, the team had a memorable 2025 season by winning the MLS Cup for the first time in their history, following a 3-1 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps at Chase Stadium on December 6. Prior to that, Inter Miami won the 2023 Leagues Cup, secured the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, and set the record for the highest points total in an MLS season.

Lionel Messi, who joined the club in the summer of 2023, led the MLS scoring charts in 2025 to claim the Golden Boot for the first time and was also honored as the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the second time.