Sporting Kansas City is fully embracing the excitement surrounding Lionel Messi, relocating their Major League Soccer home game against Inter Miami from Children’s Mercy Park to the larger Arrowhead Stadium, home to the Chiefs. While the former has a capacity of just over 18,000, Arrowhead Stadium can accommodate more than 76,000 spectators, where star athletes Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes usually play.
Unlike most Major League Soccer franchises, which have larger stadiums in their metropolitan areas suitable for games against Messi and Inter Miami, the Portland Timbers lack this option. However, they are not currently scheduled as an away opponent for Inter Miami in 2024.
Tickets for the game, starting at $65, will be available for purchase from Noon on January 16. Arrowhead Stadium, the venue for this match, will also host matches during the Copa America this summer and the 2026 World Cup.
This game marks Messi’s first officially sanctioned match in the Midwest, having previously participated in a charity match in Chicago. Sporting Kansas City’s President and CEO, Jake Reid, highlighted the unprecedented interest the match has generated since Major League Soccer released the schedule less than three weeks ago.
While no other team has relocated to a larger venue to accommodate the Messi hype, it seems unlikely that Sporting Kansas City will be the last to do so. Six MLS venues on Inter Miami’s schedule have a capacity similar to Arrowhead Stadium, with the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium, the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field, and NYCFC at Yankee Stadium. Additionally, the home venues for Atlanta United, the Vancouver Whitecaps, and Charlotte FC also hold well over 50,000 fans.
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