Inter Miami have decided to honour their captain Lionel Messi by naming a spectator stand after him in their new stadium.
The Major League Soccer franchise announced that the club’s new 26,700-seat stadium, to be known as Nu Stadium, would have a “Leo Messi Stand” when it hosts its first game on April 4.
“Inter Miami CF is excited to announce Leo Messi stand, with our number 10 and captain set to become part of a rare and unique case in global sports: an athlete regularly playing at his home stadium with a stand named in his honor,” Inter Miami said.
The Nu Stadium is a permanent replacement to Inter’s temporary home at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, where the club played since joining MLS in 2020.
Messi joined Inter Miami three years ago and quickly changed the team’s journey. Under his leadership, the club won four trophies, including the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the MLS Cup in 2025.
The club said naming the stand after Messi recognises the huge impact the 38-year-old Argentine superstar continues to have on the team.
“Traditionally, tributes look to the past. They are built from nostalgia. From memory,” Inter said in a statement.
“This one is different. This one is born from the present. From what is happening right now. From what you feel every time Leo steps onto the pitch.
“Recognizing someone is not always about closing a chapter. Sometimes it is about realizing you are witnessing something unique.”
