Inter Miami secured a thrilling 1–0 win over the previously unbeaten Columbus Crew in one of the most anticipated matchups of the 2025 MLS season. While Lionel Messi didn’t find the back of the net, the global icon continued to leave his mark—this time by setting another Major League Soccer attendance record.
Saturday’s match featured the league’s final two unbeaten teams, and the stakes drew a massive crowd. A first-half header from Benjamin Cremaschi proved to be the difference, as the Herons held on to leap to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Though Columbus controlled much of the possession, Messi remained a threat, coming close on multiple occasions. Still, the biggest impact the Argentine star has made may have come off the pitch.
Columbus Crew announced that 60,614 fans filled Huntington Bank Stadium for the highly anticipated showdown, setting a new record for the highest attendance at a non-NFL event at the venue. For context, the stadium’s overall attendance record is 73,718, set during a Browns vs. Steelers game on November 3, 2002.
Anticipating demand, the Crew moved the match from their regular home, Lower.com Field (capacity: 20,371), to the much larger home of the Cleveland Browns. It turned out to be the right call, with more than 60,000 fans turning up to catch a glimpse of Messi.
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This was the third time the Crew faced Inter Miami during the Messi era (following their 2024 League’s Cup and regular-season clashes), but the first played in a stadium of this magnitude. The move underscored Messi’s continued influence on the MLS and the sport’s popularity in the USA.
Back-to-back blockbusters
It marks the second straight week Inter Miami has set attendance records on the road. Just days earlier, Soldier Field hosted 62,358 fans for Inter Miami’s goalless draw against the Chicago Fire—another stadium record.
Inter Miami now prepares for their next marquee matchup, visiting the Vancouver Whitecaps on Thursday in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals. That game will be played at BC Place, a venue with a capacity of 54,500—another chance for Messi to drive a crowd to historic levels.
