Messi's debut season: First 5 games with Inter Miami
Inter Miami has revealed its preseason plans, with the team set to participate in five friendly matches across the Americas.

The club recently announced its first set of exhibition games for 2025. Lionel Messi and his teammates will stay in the Western Hemisphere for their preseason tour, traveling across North, Central, and South America, instead of Asia as they did in 2024.
Their first match will take place on January 18th in Las Vegas, where Inter Miami will face Mexican champions Club America. The Herons will then travel to Peru to face Universitario in Lima on January 29th. The team will continue its journey to Panama to play Sporting San Miguelito on February 2nd, before heading to Honduras to face Olimpia in San Pedro Sula on February 8th. The MLS Supporters' Shield winners will conclude their tour on February 14th with a match against Orlando City in Tampa.
Following the announcement, Inter Miami Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Raul Sanllehi commented: “We are excited to announce five matches against quality domestic and international opponents across the Americas as we prepare for a highly anticipated 2025 season. These matches will put us in the best position ahead of a special campaign with many competitions we will be participating in this year – FIFA Club World Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup, Leagues Cup and MLS.”
Last season, extensive travel to Asia resulted in fatigue and injuries for the team's stars, leading to poor early results. However, Messi helped The Herons recover with some brilliant performances.
The Argentine superstar scored 23 goals and provided 13 assists in 25 appearances, leading Inter Miami to their first major trophy, the MLS Supporters' Shield. However, Messi alone couldn't carry Inter Miami to MLS Cup glory, as they were defeated by Atlanta United after three rounds.

Next season, Messi will undoubtedly remain the team's leader across all competitions, including their first-ever appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup, where they will face the world's best clubs.