Inter Miami CF will continue to play at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, through the 2025 Major League Soccer season, now targeting 2026 as the debut year for new venue Miami Freedom Park.
The club previously stated the new stadium would be ready in time for the 2025 campaign, but confirmed Tuesday in emails to fans regarding season-ticket membership renewal and waitlist that the upcoming year would be the “final season” in Fort Lauderdale.
“The 2025 Season is expected to be our FINAL season here at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale before moving to the new stadium in Miami,” the message said. “We Look forward to having you sign and cheering along as we continue our playoff push!
Inter Miami will provide season ticket holders who choose to renew the membership “priority access to the inaugural season at Miami Freedom Park.”
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Some fans expressed displeasure over a second price increase to season tickets since the arrival of Argentine star Lionel Messi in the summer of 2023, and the delay of the new stadium.
“2025 was widely advertised as the year the team would move to Miami Freedom Park and has been used as a “benefit” of season tickets since the inaugural year – “first in line” for Miami Freedom Park tickets,” Morgan Guigon, Inter Miami season ticket holder since 2020 who is choosing not to renew his membership this year, told ESPN.
“I’m choosing not to renew this year after over a 150% increase in ticket prices in the past 2 years and since the arrival of Messi … it’s cheaper to buy tickets on the resale market match by match than it is to buy season tickets directly from the club.”
Added another fan on X: “Messi has missed more than half of Inter Miami’s matches this season. The value of tickets drops by over 85% in matches he misses. Inter Miami logic: let’s raise prices again for no reason whatsoever.”
Prices vary depending on the location of seating.
With 2026 as a target for moving to Miami Freedom Park, Messi may now not feature in the new stadium. His original contract with the MLS club expires at the end of 2025, and it remains unclear whether he will extend his time in South Florida.
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Construction on the 25,000-seat Miami Freedom Park began in August 2023, with Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas saying at the time that they were targeting a 2025 opening.
“I can’t wait to welcome our fans to our state-of-the-art stadium and hear the chants as Messi and your Inter Miami players take the pitch for the first time in 2025,” he said in a team statement.
In an interview with reporters at the same time, Mas added: “We’re going to be fast tracking everything, targeting having the stadium ready at some point in the summer or early fall of 2025.”
After missing the playoffs last season, Miami currently tops the MLS Supporters’ Shied standings after 25 games.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Lionel Messi scored twice in a four-goal second half, defender Telasco Segovia added a goal and two assists and defending champion Inter Miami CF rallied to beat Orlando City SC 4-2 on Sunday night, winning for the first time at Inter&Co Stadium.
Messi took a pass from Segovia and scored in the 57th minute to tie it 2-2, and Segovia scored unassisted in the 85th for the lead. Messi put the finishing touch on the victory when he scored off a free kick in the 90th.
“The victory belongs exclusively to the players,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the game. “In the second half, they were a championship team. There were no tactics, nothing like that. There was heart, courage, possession, resilience, commitment. I think the team came out because they were champions last year.
“In the end, the players showed it. This victory is theirs.”
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Messi’s first two goals of the season give him 52 in his first 55 regular-season MLS matches — 51 of them in his past 49 appearances. It also brought the reigning MLS MVP to 898 career goals scored, including 672 for Barcelona and 115 for Argentina.
“He’s the best player to ever play this sport. He’s a leader, and as a leader, he inspires others, but he also often needs to be inspired himself,” Mascherano said of Messi. “When he was driving forward, he had more attacking options, and with so many opportunities, he clearly has the ability to create chances like no one else, and that’s what allowed us to turn the game around.”
Marco Pašalić took a pass from Iván Angulo and scored in the 18th minute to give Orlando City a 1-0 lead. Pašalić has scored in four straight matches against Inter Miami.
Inter Miami players celebrate after scoring a goal against Orlando City in MLS.
Defender Griffin Dorsey set up Martín Ojeda for a goal six minutes later for a 2-0 advantage that stood through halftime.
Inter Miami cut it to 2-1 four minutes into the second half on Mateo Silvetti’s first career goal. Defenders Segovia and Facundo Mura had assists as the 20-year-old forward found the net in his fifth career appearance.
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Segovia had eight goals and six assists as a rookie last season, while Mura collected his first assist in his first season.
Dayne St. Clair, the reigning goalkeeper of the year, turned away three shots — all in the second half of his second start with Inter Miami, but let in a soft goal for Orlando’s first.
Maxime Crépeau had four saves in his second start for Orlando City.
Teenager Colin Guske, 19, will miss Orlando City’s next match after the rookie picked up two yellow cards in his first start — the second one led to his exit in the 88th minute.
Inter Miami, which had never won in its previous nine trips to Orlando, was coming off a 3-0 road loss to LAFC.
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Orlando City swept Inter Miami during the regular season last year and leads the all-time series 8-7-4.
Inter Miami plays D.C. United on Saturday at Audi Field. Orlando City is also on the road with a match against New York City FC.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this recap.
Rain floods Miami Beach streets, cut short Miami Heat Family Festival
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Much-needed rain fell across South Florida on Sunday, but the downpour quickly led to flooding and traffic headaches.
“The drainage systems aren’t the best but in ten minutes it will be gone,” one person said.
The rain lasted longer than 10 minutes, flooding several spots along Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.
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In one neighborhood, at least a foot of water blocked the entrance. Drivers who attempted to pass through sent waves crashing onto nearby sidewalks.
The heavy rain also snarled traffic on parts of Interstate 95 and on the bridges to and from Miami Beach, slowing drivers trying to get around the area.
“It’s Miami for you. What do they call it, a sun shower?” one driver said.
The weather disrupted Sunday plans for many. The 26th annual Miami Heat Family Festival was cut short after strong winds swept through Dan Paul Plaza, knocking over several tents.
There is no word yet on how or when the Miami Heat plan to make up the family festival.
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Brett Knese
Brett Knese joined the Local 10 News team as a general assignment reporter in March 2025.
Jack and Jill of America’s Miami chapter closed out Black History Month with an inaugural “Roots Across Waters” trip to Nassau, where families explored ancestral sites, honored the Bahamian labor that helped build early Miami, and donated Afro‑Caribbean children’s books to local students.
