Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders clashed Sunday in the Leagues Cup final in a heated game with the trophy on the line. In yet another sign of Lionel Messi’s impact on North American soccer, the match set a new record for the competition in a packed Lumen Field.
The Leagues Cup, founded in 2019, grew in stature after officially gaining FIFA recognition in 2023. Since then, the tournament has delivered some high-profile matchups between MLS and Liga MX clubs, drawing massive crowds across the continent. Still, no previous edition comes close to what unfolded in Seattle.
Officials confirmed that 69,314 fans packed Lumen Field to watch Lionel Messi and Inter Miami face the Seattle Sounders, setting a new attendance record in the history of the competition. With the stadium’s capacity listed at 68,740, overwhelming demand prompted organizers to open additional seating in the upper bowl.
The previous single-game Leagues Cup attendance record stood at 50,675, set on July 27, 2024, when the San Jose Earthquakes faced Chivas Guadalajara at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. With Messi on the pitch and a championship on the line, Sunday’s final has now set a new benchmark for the tournament’s history.
Another attendance record broken in 2025 with Messi on the field
Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, Messi has transformed the landscape of MLS, elevating its global profile and shattering attendance records across North America. The so-called “Messi effect” has continued into 2025, with the Argentine legend drawing unprecedented crowds.
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April was particularly historic. On the 13th, Inter Miami visited Soldier Field to face the Chicago Fire, where 62,358 fans set a new attendance record for the club. Just six days later, on April 19, the Herons traveled to Huntington Bank Stadium to take on the Columbus Crew. Miami’s 1-0 win was played before 60,614 fans, the highest attendance for a non-NFL event in the venue’s history.
The month’s final record came on April 24 in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals against the Vancouver Whitecaps. The first leg in Canada was a complete sellout, with 53,837 fans turning out, the largest home crowd in the Whitecaps’ MLS-era history, dating back to 1993.
