Inter Miami CF

Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami (lit. 'Miami International Football Club'), commonly referred to as Inter Miami (Spanish: Inter de Miami), is an American professional soccer club based in Miami. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Inter Miami plays their home matches at Miami Freedom Park since April 2026, having played at Chase Stadium prior.

On January 29, 2018, MLS officially approved an expansion team in Miami. The club garnered international attention prior to their founding because of co-owner David Beckham, and again in 2023 with the signing of Lionel Messi on a free transfer. Since the team began playing in the 2020 season, the club has signed several other high-profile players such as Blaise Matuidi, Gonzalo Higuaín, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Luis Suárez, Rodrigo De Paul, Sergio Reguilón, and Germán Berterame.

Following Messi's debut, the club won their first major trophy, the 2023 Leagues Cup, which also qualified the team to the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup for the first time. In the 2024 season, Inter Miami secured their first Supporters' Shield, which qualified the club to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as hosts. The team's estimated value according to Forbes is $1.2 billion as of 2025, ranking second in the league behind Los Angeles FC. On December 6th, 2025, Inter Miami won its first MLS Cup Championship, defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3–1.

History

Expansion

In November 2012, Major League Soccer (MLS) commissioner Don Garber confirmed the league's renewed interest in placing an expansion franchise in Miami, after the Miami Fusion folded following the 2001 season. A Miami expansion team led by Barcelona and Marcelo Claure, a Bolivian businessman based in the city, announced an expansion bid in October 2008, with plans to begin play in 2011. In March 2009, the league and Barcelona announced that Miami was no longer a candidate due to local market conditions. Additionally, MLS expressed concerns about Miami's lack of fan interest in an MLS franchise, the fact that USL team Miami FC was not doing well, and the plan to use the FIU Stadium, relegating the team to a secondary tenant in a college football stadium with an artificial surface. However, Garber said that Miami would be an expansion target in the future. Claure later joined David Beckham's group of investors for the Miami expansion bid that was accepted by the league in 2014.

When David Beckham, whose business manager Simon Fuller had the idea of giving him an option to purchase an expansion team at a price of $25 million when he joined the league in 2007, ended his playing career in April 2013, the MLS held discussions with Fuller about several expansion targets, including Miami. That same year, other investors, including Italian financier Alessandro Butini and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross expressed interest in owning a Miami franchise as well. In 2013, Fuller and Beckham discussed plans to buy an MLS soccer team in Miami.

In 2013, when David Beckham was interviewed by CNN, he thanked Fuller for the groundbreaking MLS deal he had negotiated back in 2007 and specifically the clause that Fuller had insisted on inserting to the player's benefit: "When I signed my contract six, seven years ago, my manager Simon Fuller actually got a clause in the contract that enabled me to have a franchise at the end of my playing career." In his December 2013 State of the League address, Garber had identified Beckham and Fuller as potential owners in Miami. Later that month, on December 17, Miami-Dade County commissioners voted unanimously to allow Mayor Carlos A. Giménez to negotiate with the Beckham-led group on a new stadium in downtown Miami. The league announced that Beckham exercised his option on February 5, 2014, and that Miami Beckham United, the investment group led by Beckham, Fuller and Claure, would own an expansion franchise in Miami, assuming that financing for a stadium could be agreed upon. In presentations to officials and potential investors, the ownership group used "Miami Vice" and "Miami Current" as working titles for the club. After its initial stadium proposals fell through, Commissioner Garber reiterated in August 2014 that the expansion would not be approved until a downtown stadium plan was secured and it was only after Fuller introduced Beckham to the Jorge and José Mas, that the plan was green lit. In an August 2014 Q&A session, deputy commissioner Mark Abbott said Miami would be the 23rd team as long as a downtown stadium deal could be reached. Beckham bought Fuller out in May 2019.

On January 29, 2018, the Miami Beckham United group (consisting of Beckham, Claure, Fuller, Masayoshi Son (founder and CEO of SoftBank) and Jorge and José Mas, the Miami-based leaders of telecommunications and construction company MasTec) four years after the ownership's original announcement of pursuing a team, was awarded the twenty-fifth MLS franchise and was set to launch in the 2020 season. The announcement represented part of a larger MLS expansion that would increase its number of teams to 26 by 2020 and 30 after that. Since Beckham's original announcement of his intention to place a team in Miami in 2014, Orlando City, New York City FC, Atlanta United, Minnesota United, Los Angeles FC and FC Cincinnati have all begun MLS play. Paul McDonough was hired as sporting director effective August 4. The team's ownership group was later renamed Miami Freedom Park LLC. They announced Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, shortened to Inter Miami CF, as the club's official name on September 5, 2018. MLS returned to the South Florida area in 2018, when Inter Miami CF was announced. On January 29, 2018, the Miami Beckham United group, four years after the ownership's original announcement of pursuing a team, was awarded the 25th MLS franchise and launched in the 2020 season, playing on the site of Lockhart Stadium at the new Chase Stadium. Former Fusion coach Ray Hudson would go on to work as a color commentator for Inter Miami, while former Fusion player Chris Henderson was appointed as the club's sporting director.

With the addition of Inter Miami and Nashville SC for the 2020 season, Major League Soccer organized the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft on November 19, 2019. On October 6, 2019, Inter Miami won the coin toss for the Expansion Priority Draft, and chose to select first in the expansion draft. Lists of protected rosters and draft-eligible players were released by MLS on November 16, 2019.

On December 30, 2019, former Uruguay national team player and C.F. Monterrey manager Diego Alonso was announced as the club's inaugural head coach. On February 14, 2020, Pizarro left Monterrey for Major League Soccer expansion side Inter Miami, following a protracted dispute between the clubs about the activation of his release clause, rejoining head coach Diego Alonso for a third time, his coach at both Pachuca and Monterrey. The following day, despite not officially being announced as a signing for the club, Pizarro scored the first goal for Miami in a 2–1 preseason friendly loss to the Philadelphia Union. That same day, Monterrey filed a complaint with FIFA against Pizarro and Inter Miami for improper contact between the player and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham while Pizarro was still under contract with Monterrey. FIFA's investigation was still on-going when news of the complaint broke on March 4.

Early years (2020–2023)

Inter Miami's first MLS game was played on March 1, 2020, losing 1–0, away to Los Angeles FC. Designated Player Rodolfo Pizarro scored the first goal in Inter Miami history the following game on March 7, in a 2–1 loss to D.C. United. Their first home match was supposed to be on March 14, 2020, against the LA Galaxy, Beckham's former club, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 23, 2020, Inter Miami recorded their first franchise victory, 3–2 over Orlando City. On January 7, 2021, Diego Alonso left by mutual consent. On January 18, 2021, England Women's manager Phil Neville was appointed as the new head coach, and the Seattle Sounders's Chris Henderson as chief soccer officer and sporting director. On March 23, 2021, it was announced that Kieran Gibbs would join Inter Miami when his contract with West Brom expired in the summer. On February 23, 2023, Gibbs and Miami mutually agreed to terminate his deal at the club. He subsequently joined the club's broadcasting team. On August 13, 2020, Matuidi signed for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami on a free transfer. He made his club debut on September 6, in a scoreless home draw against Nashville SC in Major League Soccer. In January 2022, Matuidi was left off Inter Miami's roster for the 2022 season. On December 23, 2022, Matuidi announced his retirement from professional soccer after an 18-year career. On January 26, 2022, Romeo Beckham made his non-competitive senior debut for Inter Miami during a 4–0 pre-season win against Universitario.