Inter Miami star headlines a landmark MLS campaign shaped by the 2026 World Cup across North America

Lionel Messi is set to launch a pivotal Major League Soccer (MLS) season as the fast-growing U.S. league looks to capitalise on soaring global interest ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Argentine icon, MLS’s biggest attraction, will begin his fourth season with Inter Miami when they face Los Angeles FC in Saturday’s season opener at the 70,000-capacity Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The new campaign is widely viewed as a landmark one for MLS, with the season split in two by the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

League executives see the tournament as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to entrench football deeper into the American sports landscape and keep fans engaged long after the World Cup concludes.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber described the campaign as a defining moment for the league, calling it a “massive year” for the sport’s domestic growth.

The MLS season will pause for seven weeks during June and July to accommodate the World Cup, with five MLS stadiums selected as official match venues. League action will resume during the rest period between the World Cup semi-finals and final, before the annual MLS All-Star Game.

The decision to open the season with a blockbuster clash between two of the league’s most high-profile teams at a historic stadium in the heart of Los Angeles is deliberate.

Garber has predicted the largest opening-weekend crowd in MLS history, underlining the league’s growing confidence as it enters a World Cup-shaped future.

Several international stars have also joined MLS clubs ahead of the new season, further boosting the league’s global appeal and competitiveness.