First Inter Miami MLS home game at Miami Freedom Park will be April 4 vs. Austin
Inter Miami will open the 2026 MLS season with five consecutive road games and then play its first league home game April 4 against Austin FC at Miami Freedom Park, the new 25,000-seat stadium under construction just east of Miami International Airport.
Captain Lionel Messi and his teammates will finally have a permanent home after the club’s first six seasons were played at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Inter Miami hosted a media tour of the new stadium construction site on Thursday, and Graham Oxley, vice president of Miami Freedom Park, said the project is on schedule to open on time.
Between 700 and 800 workers have been toiling daily to get the stadium built. The majority of the concrete frame and stands are done, and the canopy frame has been erected. The state-of-the-art stadium includes a two-tier seating bowl with an elevated main concourse, sideline balconies with clubs, suites, and a press box, and a tensile cable canopy roof that will shield all seats from rain.
After they finish the canopy, construction will move inside the stadium to get the clubs, locker rooms, dining areas, restrooms, concourses and field areas ready.
MLS released the full 2026 season on Wednesday. The regular season kicks off on Saturday, February 21, and one of the marquee matches on opening day is Inter Miami on the road against Los Angeles FC at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (9:30 p.m. ET, Apple TV).
The league will take a break during the 2026 World Cup, which will allow participating players, host venues, and fans to enjoy the 48-team tournament, which is being hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada from mid-June to mid-July.
MLS will pause league play after matches on May 24, ahead of the FIFA mandatory player report date on May 25 and will resume the final week of the World Cup.
Following the FIFA World Cup Semifinals, the MLS schedule picks back up with matches on July 16 and 17, before the World Cup bronze final on Saturday, July 18, and the 2026 World Cup Final on Sunday, July 19.
The MLS regular season concludes with Decision Day 2026 on Saturday, November 7. Following Decision Day, the league will observe the November FIFA window before beginning one month of uninterrupted playoff action, culminating in the MLS Cup championship game at a date TBA.
Among the teams Miami will play in 2026 is San Diego FC, which will visit on Sept. 20.
Inter Miami fans can secure their tickets for the historic 2026 season and opening MLS match at their new home by buying season tickets at https://www.intermiamicf.com/tickets/mfp.
This story was originally published November 20, 2025 at 3:34 PM.