Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) - The American Football League will resume its competitions on Saturday, with Argentine star Lionel Messi leading the way in a festive match, months before the World Cup. MLS hopes to benefit from its momentum.

Published on: 02/20/2026 - 13:47

Messi, the undisputed most prominent star in MLS, will begin his fourth season with Inter Miami by facing Los Angeles FC and its South Korean star, Heung-Min Son, on Saturday, at the “Memorial Coliseum” stadium, which has a capacity of 77,000 spectators and which will host its third session of the Olympic Games in two years.

This tumultuous start seems appropriate for a league whose season will be divided into two parts due to the 2026 World Cup, which the United States, Canada and Mexico will host this summer between June 11 and July 19.

World Cup host countries usually witness an increase in public attendance and interest in their local leagues, while American League officials seek to keep American eyes focused on the “beautiful game” after the tournament ends and the teams return to their countries.

League Commissioner Don Garber believes that 2026 will be a “big year” for the tournament, hoping that MLS will benefit from the momentum that this prestigious international competition will generate.

The league will stop for seven weeks in June and July, with five stadiums allocated by FIFA, while other stadiums and club facilities will be used as training headquarters for national teams and fan areas.

The league plans to take advantage of the split season in order to attract new fans. Reports indicate a marketing campaign worth between $15 and $30 million during the World Cup, urging viewers to support their local teams and enhancing the image of the league, which is increasingly attracting stars.

A record number of American League players are expected to participate in the World Cup, including Son and perhaps Messi.

At the age of thirty-eight, there is still mystery surrounding the participation of the Argentine, who was crowned with the Ballon d'Or eight times, most recently in 2022 in Qatar, in the World Cup for the sixth time.

Messi excelled last season, leading Inter Miami to its first league title, after finishing as the league's top scorer and best player.

"Exceptional opportunity"

It has not achieved a double of two consecutive league titles since the 2011-2012 seasons, when Los Angeles Galaxy did it under the leadership of former English star David Beckham, the current co-owner of Inter Miami, with whom Messi’s contract extends until 2028.

The League hopes to benefit from the momentum that the World Cup will generate by programming the resumption of competitions between the semi-finals and the final scheduled for July 19 in New Jersey, before organizing the All-Star match immediately after that.

The choice to start the season with a match between the two biggest international stars in the league, in a huge former Olympic stadium in central Los Angeles, was not a coincidence.

Garber expects "the largest crowd attendance at the opening of a season in the history of the league."

While in recent years the league has relied heavily on Messi's appeal, Son's arrival in mid-2025 was transformative. Los Angeles FC signed him for $26.5 million, in what is believed to be the largest transfer deal in the history of the league, and he brought with him widespread support from thousands of South Koreans residing in the United States.

“The World Cup will accelerate the growth of our sport in North America like never before,” Garber said. “The MLS is in a unique position at the heart of the action.”

He added that it constitutes an "exceptional opportunity." The tournament is counting on a strong start in the opening weekend, which pits its two most prominent current stars face to face: Messi and Son.

The past weeks have also witnessed the addition of notable football names to the league: Colombian international James Rodriguez, the former Spanish Real Madrid player, signed with Minnesota to regain the pace of play before leading his country in the World Cup.

The Mexican international striker of Argentine origin, Germán Bertrami, also joined Messi in Miami, while German Timo Werner joined the San Jose Earthquakes (California), a few months after his compatriot Thomas Muller arrived to the Vancouver Whitecaps, last season’s runner-up to Miami.

The American League is also approaching a major organizational change, as in the summer of 2027 it will adopt the calendar in effect in the most prominent European leagues, from summer until spring, after a mini-season that will be held in early 2027 (14 matches, then the playoffs).

This will allow the tournament to benefit from the same transfer windows approved in Europe, in the hope of attracting more elite players, and avoiding scheduling conflicts with major international competitions.

But the league will also find itself in more direct competition with the giants of American sports: the NFL, the NBA, and the NHL.

© 2026 AFP

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