Lionel Messi continues to captivate North American soccer fans, and his influence was on full display once again during Inter Miami’s visit to Vancouver. In a historic road match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, Messi helped set yet another record-breaking attendance milestone.
Inter Miami traveled to BC Place for the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals, marking the first-ever matchup at this stage between a Canadian and an American team. The highly anticipated fixture delivered a spectacle both on the pitch and in the stands.
Leading up to the match, the Whitecaps confirmed a sold-out stadium—and following the final whistle, they announced an official attendance of 53,837 fans. That figure marks the largest home crowd in the club’s MLS-era history, which began in 1993.
“A night to remember. A new #VWFC MLS-era home record at our sold-out Champions Cup match. Thank you, Vancouver!” posted the Vancouver Whitecaps official account on X.
This turnout broke the stadium’s previous MLS-era record, which was also set during an Inter Miami visit. On May 25, 2024, 51,035 spectators attended that match, making Messi’s influence undeniable once again.
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This marks the third straight away match in which Messi’s Inter Miami has broken an attendance record. The streak began at the MLS games, first at the Chicago Fire’s Soldier Field with 62,358 fans, followed by an attendance of 60,614 fans at Columbus Crew’s Huntington Bank Stadium.
Was this the all-time attendance record at BC Place?
The BC Place has held numerous events since the start of the MLS era, with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami being at the top in terms of attendance. Despite marking a club record for the Whitecaps, it wasn’t the highest-attended event in BC Place history
That distinction belongs to a match played on June 20, 1983, when the original Vancouver Whitecaps hosted the Seattle Sounders in front of 60,342 spectators. That match was also the first major sporting event held at the stadium.
