MLS
Inter Miami increases DRV PNK Stadium capacity for Lionel Messi’s debut
The Argentine has finally arrived in Miami and the MLS club are pulling out all the stops for his Leagues Cup debut next week.
Inter Miami are poised to welcome Lionel Messi to MLS in what could be the most significant transfer in the history of football in the United States.
Messi landed in Florida on Wednesday and is expected to finalise the paperwork this week ahead of a grand unveiling on Sunday evening. But the club still has plenty of work to do to ensure that the DRV PNK Stadium is ready for Messi’s arrival.
The MLS side are frantically looking for ways to expand the stadium’s capacity and ensure that as many fans as possible will be in attendance for Messi’s first game. He is expected to make his debut in the Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul on 21 July.
Images on social media show a new grandstand is being erected in the southeast area of the DRV PNK Stadium. Judging from the pictures, this is one of three areas of expansion in the club’s temporary base in Fort Lauderdale.
How big is the Inter Miami stadium?
As it stands the DRV PNK Stadium has a capacity of 18,000 spectators, making it the joint smallest stadium in MLS. Inter Miami only planned to use the Fort Lauderdale venue on a temporary basis while they look for a permanent home in Miami but the arrival of one of the biggest athletes on the planet has brought a new sense of urgency to the situation.
NBC Miami report that the new stands were used a few weeks ago in the Formula 1 GP in Miami. The club hopes to add another 3,000 to its current capacity, taking the figure to 21,000.
Even before the arrival of Messi, Inter Miami were having no problem filling their temporary stadium. Across the 2023 season they have averaged 16,500 supporters in a stadium that holds 18,000, meaning that there is very little room for additional supporters when Messi starts turning out for the team.
In June Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean J. Trantalis announced that an agreement had been struck to allow Inter Miami to push on with their plans to expand the stadium.
He confirmed: “The city and the Inter Miami soccer team have reached an agreement on outstanding issues as we look forward to Messi’s arrival next month to join the team.”
“We continue to be honored to be home to Inter Miami and foresee a new level of excitement brought by Messi’s arrival.”