Inter Miami have announced their preparations for the new season, when the team will participate in five friendlies in the Americas.
Recently, the Inter Miami Club homepage announced the first friendly matches in 2025. Accordingly, the tour of Lionel Messi and his teammates will stay in the Western Hemisphere and travel through North, South and Central America, instead of in Asia in 2024.
The first match will be on January 18 in Las Vegas, when Inter Miami will face Mexican champions Club America. The Herons will then travel to Peru to face Universitario in Lima on January 29. The team will continue their journey to Panama to face Sporting San Miguelito on February 2, then travel to Honduras to play Olimpia in San Pedro Sula on February 8. The MLS Supporters’ Shield champions’ tour will conclude on February 14 with a match against Orlando City in Tampa.
After announcing the upcoming fixtures, Inter Miami President of Football Operations Raul Sanlleh shared: “We are excited to announce five fixtures against domestic and international opponents across the Americas, helping us prepare for the highly anticipated 2025 season. These fixtures will put us in a strong position ahead of an exceptional campaign, with multiple competitions we will be participating in this year – the FIFA Club World Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup, Leagues Cup and MLS.
Last season, the move to Asia left the team’s stars tired with injuries, leading to poor results in the early stages. However, Messi helped The Herons come back in time with some brilliant performances.
The Argentine superstar scored 23 goals and provided 13 assists in 25 appearances, helping Inter Miami win their first major title in history with the MLS Supporters’ Shield. However, Messi alone was not enough to carry Inter Miami far in the MLS Cup, losing after three matches to Atlanta United.
Next season, Messi will certainly continue to be the team’s leader in all competitions, including the first time participating in the FIFA Club World Cup, which brings together the world’s top teams.