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Lionel Messi, Inter Miami to kick off 2025 MLS season. Here are key dates to know
Soccer star Lionel Messi will play in the first game of the 2025 MLS season, when the league begins its 30th season Feb. 22, the league announced Thursday.
The defending Supporters’ Shield winners, Inter Miami CF, will host New York City FC to kickoff opening weekend that Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET inside Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
San Diego FC will play its inaugural match as the 30th MLS franchise on the road against the defending champions L.A. Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. ET.
The New York Red Bulls, the Eastern Conference champions, must wait until May for a rematch of the MLS Cup final. They will host the Galaxy on May 10 at the newly named Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.
The MLS All-Star game will be played July 23 at Q2 Stadium, home to Austin FC, in Texas.
MLS will halt play June 14-24 during the group stages of the FIFA Club World Cup and the Concacaf Gold Cup – major tournaments hosted in the United States next summer.
Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders are the only MLS clubs participating in the Club World Cup, a 32-team tournament featuring the best clubs in the world. The Concacaf Gold Cup is a tournament between national teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
Other key dates on 2025 MLS schedule:
MLS Rivalry Week is May 14-18.
League Cup 2025 will be July 29 to August 31.
MLS Decision Day, or the final day of the regular season, is Oct. 18.
The 2025 MLS Cup playoffs dates will be announced at a later time.
All 510 MLS games will be available to live stream with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The league will also feature a Sunday night game with enhanced production and dedicated studio programming.
FOX Sports will also broadcast 34 MLS games next year, including 15 matches on FOX and 19 matches on FS1, with each match also available in Spanish on FOX Deportes.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLS 2025 schedule: Messi, Inter Miami to play first game of season
