Messi extends contract with Inter Miami until 2028: The star continues!

Messi Extends His Stay at Inter Miami Until 2028

Argentine star Lionel Messi has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Inter Miami through the end of the 2028 MLS season, the team announced Thursday. Messi, 38 years old, initially joined Inter Miami in July 2023 as a Designated Player with a 2-and-a-half-year contract, breaking league precedents and team records with his agreement. The club announced the new agreement with a video of Messi signing the contract in what will be the field of the expected new Inter Miami stadium, the Miami Freedom Park.

“It makes me very happy to stay here and continue with this project which, besides being a dream, has become a beautiful reality: to play in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park,” Messi said in a statement.

Lionel Messi

The club’s co-owner, Jorge Mas, previously expressed his desire to see Messi inaugurate the Miami Freedom Park in 2026, when the team moves from its current home in Fort Lauderdale to the new stadium in Miami. Inter Miami will play the last matches of the 2025 campaign at Chase Stadium before starting the 2026 season at Miami Freedom Park.

“We promised our fans that we would dream big to build an iconic club,” said Mas. “A club that represents the passion, hard work, and dedication of all those who came before us to create a Miami built on dreams.”

Jorge Mas

Since his MLS debut, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has continued to set new standards on and off the field, leading Inter Miami to win titles and break attendance records across the country.

“Our vision was to bring the best players to Inter Miami and to this city, and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” said Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham.

David Beckham

The captain of the Argentine national team and World Cup winner led the team to conquer the inaugural Leagues Cup in 2023, before inspiring Inter Miami to win the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and set a league record for the most points in a single season. Individually, Messi has won the MLS Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2024 and, recently, the Golden Boot 2025 after recording 29 goals in just 28 matches. Messi has also been nominated for the MLS MVP award 2025 and is the favorite to become the first player to win the award two consecutive times.

The club has experienced a massive surge in global popularity with Messi on the roster. His pink jersey with the number 10 has been the best-selling in MLS since he joined the league, and he has expanded his massive off-field commercial empire since arriving in the United States, even starring in a Super Bowl ad last year. The valuation of Inter Miami has more than doubled since Messi’s arrival, rising to about $1.19 billion as of January 2025. The league has also thrived, with ticket revenue reaching an all-time high in 2025. Five clubs have broken their attendance records in matches involving Messi and Inter Miami.

“When Lionel Messi chose MLS as his league, it marked a turning point, not only for Inter Miami, but for our entire sport in North America,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber. “Since then, we have witnessed something truly historic: the best player of all time bringing global attention to our league.”

Don Garber

Messi will continue playing for Inter Miami without his long-time teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who previously announced their retirement from football at the end of the 2025 MLS season. Busquets and Alba will compete with Inter Miami in the MLS playoffs, hoping to win a final trophy as players. Luis Suárez could also play his last matches with the club, as his contract expires at the end of the 2025 campaign. Although Suárez has not yet announced an extension with the club, Mas previously insisted that the door remains open for him at Inter Miami if the Uruguayan decides to stay for another season. The Inter Miami and Messi are now preparing for the first match of the Round 1 playoff series against Nashville SC on Friday at Chase Stadium, as the club tries to win the 2025 MLS Cup.