Lionel Messi reportedly close to signing new deal with Inter Miami to stay beyond 2026 World Cup

Lionel Messi has transformed Major League Soccer since his arrival in 2023, and with his current deal set to expire in December 2025, questions have lingered about the Inter Miami star’s future. With less than a year until the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, reports now suggest both player and club are close to agreeing on an extension that would take him beyond the tournament.

With Jordi Alba renewing his contract in May through December 2027, expectations grew that Messi would be the next marquee name to sign. However, with the FIFA Club World Cup in the middle, negotiations had stalled until recent weeks.

According to ESPN, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are nearing an agreement on a new deal for the club captain. Only a few details remain unresolved, but the most significant is that it will be a multiyear contract, not just a one-year extension through 2026.

Per the report, the deal could be finalized soon, with MLS approval serving as the final step. That would ensure Messi remains an Inter Miami player when he represents Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, and makes it increasingly likely Miami will be the club where he eventually hangs up his boots.

As the face of both Inter Miami and MLS, co-owner Jorge Mas has long made clear his desire to keep Messi beyond 2025, especially with Miami Freedom Park set to open for the 2026 season. With only minor details left to iron out, the Argentine icon appears poised to extend his legacy with the club and the league.

Doubts cleared after MLS All-Star drama

Already settled with his family in Miami, Messi has always been open to staying with the Herons, where he has reunited with several of his former Barcelona teammates, and now with Rodrigo De Paul. Still, questions arose when the Argentine skipped the 2025 MLS All-Star Game against Liga MX team, which resulted in a one-game suspension.

Asked at the time whether Messi’s suspension might impact contract talks, Mas struck a cautiously pessimistic tone: “Messi is extremely upset. I’m hopeful it doesn’t have an impact long-term. Will it have an impact on his perception of the league and its rules? No doubt.”

Messi’s lack of continuity due to the suspension also led to a muscle injury, which he later admitted left him frustrated with it and its side effects. But those tensions now appear to have eased, with the Argentine legend closer than ever to extending his future in Miami, despite previous links to clubs in Argentina, Europe, and even Saudi Arabia.