MLS needs Messi and Miami to have success in Champions Cup

Inter Miami and Lionel Messi are through to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, a tournament that carries ample possibilities for MLS. Even though the league has not given the North American and Caribbean equivalent of the Champions League much attention or importance, there are certain things the Champions Cup affords. One of those is qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup. That club competition is undergoing a revamp in the summer of 2025, and the United States is the host.

As of now, the only American team to be competing on home soil is Seattle. The Sounders have qualified for the 2025 Club World Cup as a result of winning the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2022, becoming the first American team to do so since 2000. In that year, DC United was the best among eight teams. Both MLS and the CONCACAF Champions Cup have changed drastically.

With Inter Miami’s success, the international presence of both the Champions Cup and MLS can go up. It is no secret that people will watch Messi in any competition he plays in. For example, his first games with Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup pulled 1.75 million viewers. That only accounts for Spanish-language TV, too, as that first game against Cruz Azul aired on MLS Season Pass for English-language audiences.

More games in the Champions Cup means more Messi, more MLS success

If Messi plays in more significant games with trophies on the line, people will tune in. Yet, the question remains as to how this can benefit Major League Soccer. The CONCACAF Champions Cup has no direct aid for MLS other than giving clubs a platform to play more games. That is exactly why MLS needs Miami to thrive. The Florida club’s success directly impacts MLS’s success. In other words, when Inter Miami builds momentum in other competitions, fans will be more inclined to watch the club.

For instance, the Leagues Cup helped bring viewers to Major League Soccer. By the time Messi had joined Inter Miami and prepared for his first game with the club, the domestic league had already taken a hiatus.

One key difference in the scenarios is that MLS does not capitalize on the viewership of the Champions Cup. The Leagues Cup, however, was a production that aired on MLS Season Pass, the same streaming platform that broadcasts Major League Soccer. Yet, the Champions Cup has not treated MLS clubs well. Building success there can bring people to MLS Season Pass.

Our Pick: Includes: Every regular season game, MLS Cup Playoffs, Leagues Cup, & More
Sign Up

Helping MLS stand out

One contributor to bringing people to MLS Season Pass is showing that the teams in MLS are strong. Granted, any team that has the Barcelona contingent of Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets is going to be talented, even if each of these players is in the twilight of their careers. However, MLS has not done well in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Just this season, three MLS teams matched up against sides from Liga MX in the Champions Cup round of 16. Each of them lost handily. These are the Philadelphia Union, Orlando City and FC Cincinnati. Those clubs finished among the top-five clubs in MLS last season. They lost by a combined 13-3 on aggregate to clubs from Mexico.

Inter Miami can provide the impetus for success in the Champions Cup while playing against these same clubs. Monterrey is the next step for Inter Miami, and the club will have a tough task against one of the most in-form teams in Mexico. If Messi and company can knock off Monterrey, the profile of the Champions Cup rises, and so does Major League Soccer.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.