Inter Miami and Messi’s first match in the 2024 MLS season: rival, date and time

Less than two weeks after the Columbus Crew lifted the MLS Cup for the third time in history, Major League Soccer revealed the schedule for the 2024 campaign. The action begins midweek, with the opening game to be played on Wednesday 21 February 2024.

The opening game of the new season will be between Inter Miami and Real Salt Lake. Lionel Messi and Co. open the campaign in front of a home crowd at DRV PNK Stadium and will be hoping to get off to a positive start. This season, they will be seek to reach the playoffs and be among the teams fighting for the MLS Cup.

What time will Inter Miami and Real Salt Lake kick off?

The 2024 MLS Week 1 game between Inter Miami and Real Salt Lake will kick off at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT at DRV PNK Stadium, Miami Florida on on Wednesday 21 February 2024.

This will be the first ever meeting between Inter Miami from the Eastern Conference and Real Salt Lake from the Western Conference. Pablo Mastroeni guided the Claret-and-Cobalts to a fifth-place finish in the regular season - Real Salt Lake were knocked out at the first hurdle in the playoffs, losing to the Houston Dynamo on penalties after the tie was taken to three games.

The MLS opener between Inter Miami and Real Salt Lake will be a standalone match, as explained by the MLS and will serve as a prelude to the MLS Is Back weekend, in which the Herons return to action on Sunday 25 February, taking on five-time MLS Cup winners LA Galaxy.

That match will be played at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, kicking off at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT

Prior to that, on Saturday 24 February 11 games will be played as part of the so-called ‘MLS is Back’ weekend, with three games played the following day, Sunday 25 February - among them Inter Miami’s visit to Los Angeles, Cincinnati vs Toronto and Nashville vs New York City FC.

The Crew at home

Defending champions Columbus Crew will debut at home on Saturday 24 February at the Lower.com Stadium hosting Atlanta United. It will be the 20th meeting between these two franchises - last season’s fixture ended in a 2-0 victory for the hosts.

2024 MLS calendar format

The MLS revealed that each team will play 34 games in the regular season - 17 at home and 17 away. Each team will play twice against rivals from the same conference and also have a further six or seven games against select rivals from the rival conference.

Most of the regular season matches will be played on Saturdays with a few select games played on Wednesdays with a 7:30 pm local start time.