MLS
Lionel Messi turns Miami into the soccer capital of the USA
The Argentine, as well as his impact on the field, has had an effect on the popularity of Miami as a destination for various sporting events.
The arrival of Lionel Messi to Inter Miami has raised the importance of the city of Miami to new heights, as well as the region of Fort Lauderdale and the DRV PNK Stadium.
Having the Argentine at the MLS club has seen a colossal increase in the number of fans that have made the pilgrimage to South Florida, turning the corner of the country into the epicentre of important occasions over the coming days.
One of the events that the DRV PNK Stadium will host is the friendly match between Twila Kilgore’s U.S. Women’s National Team and China on Saturday, December 2, a game that will see the USWNT play in Miami for the first time ever.
After that, on Tuesday, December 6, Leo Messi’s new home will host a special CONMEBOL legends game that will be played at 8 p.m ET at The Herons’ stadium.
DRV PNK Stadium to host CONMEBOL friendly
And to conclude the activity at the DRV PNK Stadium for the month of December, the venue will host an international friendly between Colombia and Venezuela, a clash with which both teams will end their calendar year, putting an end to an important series of football events in Miami.
But there’s more: in addition to the aforementioned friendly matches that the DRV PNK Stadium in Miami will host in the coming days, it should be remembered that the South Florida city has received special recognition thanks to the importance and draw that Messi has on an international scale.
An example of this is the draw for the Copa América, which will take place in a week’s time, on December 7, at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida, where the fates of the 16 participating teams will be made known.
Miami to hold the Copa América 2024 final
Finally, the 2024 edition of the Copa América itself will culminate in Miami, although it will not be at the DRV PNK Stadium. The final will be played at the Hard Rock Stadium, a ground that has a capacity of more than 65,000 fans.
With all these things going on in Miami we can see how, little by little, Messi has positioned the city as the capital of the soccer world in the USA and has given it a sense of importance and attraction that outperforms pretty much every other city in the country and beyond. The Messi effect, if you like.