Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami to Open New Stadium in April vs Austin

Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will officially inaugurate their new home, Miami Freedom Park, on April 4, 2026, when they face Austin FC, as part of the newly released 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) schedule.

The upcoming season — the league’s biggest yet — will feature 510 regular-season matches and kick off on February 21, with every team playing 34 games before the campaign concludes on November 7. In order to accommodate the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the schedule also calls for a mid-season break.

League play will resume just ahead of the World Cup final on July 19, with an action-packed weekend of fixtures to follow.

Opening Day Highlights
The highlight of the day will see Messi’s Inter Miami travel to California to face Son Heung-min’s Los Angeles FC at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a clash expected to draw global attention.

Throughout March, Inter Miami will face a demanding run of away fixtures against Orlando City, D.C. United, Charlotte FC, and New York City FC before returning to South Florida to formally inaugurate their 25,000-seat stadium in front of their home crowd at Miami Freedom Park.

World Cup and All-Star Breaks
After the World Cup break, Major League Soccer will resume on July 16 with four games: Toronto vs. Montreal, Vancouver vs. Chicago, Kansas City vs. St. Louis, Portland vs. Seattle. The next day, LAFC will play an early-season El Tráfico derby against local rivals LA Galaxy, while Atlanta United will travel to Nashville.

Fans can also look forward to the MLS All-Star Game, set to take place in Charlotte on July 29, marking another marquee moment in the league’s summer calendar.

Following the conclusion of the regular season in early November, MLS will observe a pause during the November FIFA international window before the MLS Cup Playoffs begin.

With Lionel Messi leading the way and a brand-new stadium ready to open its doors, 2026 promises to be one of the most exciting seasons in Major League Soccer history.