Inside mad world of Inter Miami changing football forever as billionaires and celebs jump on Messi and Beckham bandwagon
WELCOME to Miami — football’s newest frontier.
The arrival of David Beckham and, eventually, Lionel Messi in the city sparked an almighty South Florida land grab.
Bandwagons are being frantically hitched to Inter Miami and Messi in the scramble for American eyeballs and — more importantly — cash.
The impact has not just been Stateside. Inter Miami are now a global symbol for the Magic City.
Walk in any major city around the world and it will not be long before you see their pink shirt worn or on sale somewhere.
Once Beckham — who is part-owner alongside Jorge Mas and Jose Mas — set his sights on the city to start a franchise everyone slowly started following.
Fifa has based its preparations for the 2026 World Cup in Miami before moving to a new huge office, its first outside of Europe, in the Coral Gables area — just five minutes from Miami owner Mas’ MasTec headquarters.
Concacaf is just up the road.
The Argentinian FA has opened an office in the city and is also building a training facility nearby too, while nations and top club sides continue to visit Inter Miami’s Florida Blue training ground.
That high-end base in Fort Lauderdale, will almost certainly host one of the 48 nations competing at the 2026 World Cup.
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It will be no surprise if Argentina pitch up there.
Messi’s arrival in Major League Soccer was the catalyst — his pull is why they are all there.
Miami is the American city most invested in football, with a huge Spanish speaking population and offers a straightforward jumping-off point to South America.
There are business arguments for everyone choosing Miami as a base. But the stardust is the real catalyst.
Xavier Asensi, the former Barcelona chief who is now president of business operations at Inter Miami, told SunSport: “It’s everything around Miami, the sexiness. Miami has always been aspirational, outside of the US too. Football is global, Messi and Beckham.
“After Covid, a lot of celebrities moved here — it is super well-connected.
“It is a mosaic and a place that embraces and welcomes people from all over the world. You have the two largest languages in use around the world here.
“All this combined creates this aura, which gives a power and, if you know how to action it, the sky is the limit.
“The aspiration that Jorge and Beckham have is that when people think about soccer in the United States, they think about Miami and I think we can proudly say we ticked that box.”
Celebrity after celebrity have lined up to witness Inter Miami’s star quartet, with Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets joining Messi on his retirement residency in the Sunshine State.
Film stars Will Smith and Idris Elba, as well as NBA legend LeBron James have all taken seats pitchside to witness what has admittedly been a record-breaking season.
Inter Miami have set a points record for the regular season, during which they won the Supporters Shield — a nominal league title awarded before the play-offs begin.
That achievement allowed Fifa to, incredibly hastily and, to the anger of other MLS clubs, announce that suddenly the Supporters Shield winner would qualify for their Club World Cup next summer.
The opening game held, of course, in Miami.
And Gianni Infantino, the Fifa president desperate to ride Messi’s coat-tails into America, was at the club’s Chase Stadium to announce the decision.
He said: “Miami loves football. The world loves football, and the world loves Miami.”
Whether the world will look to Miami for football or not, the power brokers certainly are. Soccerex, the forum which many senior figures flock to for a back-slap and some free booze each year, has moved its headquarters there and will host the next event in the city.
Those with cash to spare in the area are looking to football too.
The latest social must-have in the golf and country clubs is not a flash car or watch, but a football club.
John Textor, the Crystal Palace co-owner who launched a failed bid for Everton, bases his Eagle Football group just north of Miami.
The city has long been known as the Gateway to the Americas — many in football are now banking on it being their path to a huge slice of the American market.