Lionel Messi, Son Heung-min set to clash as LAFC and Inter Miami open 2026 MLS season at new venue
Lionel Messi and Son Heung-min are set to face each other for the first time in North America, as the 2026 Major League Soccer season will feature both stars on Matchday 1. With the match scheduled to take place on the West Coast, the highly anticipated showdown between Los Angeles FC and Inter Miami has undergone a change of venue.
The wave of attention drawn to MLS since Messi’s arrival in 2023 has fueled the league’s continued growth, with Son joining LAFC last summer as the most expensive signing in league history. Now set to meet for the first time since the South Korean star’s move to North America, the matchup will be staged on a significantly larger platform.
The clash between Messi’s Inter Miami and Son’s LAFC on February 21 will be played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It will mark the first time the Black & Gold move a home match away from BMO Stadium, relocating to the historic home of the USC Trojans for what is shaping up to be a generational MLS showdown.
The decision by organizers is aimed at maximizing attendance for the season opener. While BMO Stadium seats approximately 22,000 fans, the Memorial Coliseum can accommodate up to 77,000, with hopes the match could become one of the most attended games in MLS history.
Beyond hosting the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games (and scheduled to do so again in 2028) the Memorial Coliseum has staged multiple soccer events, including CONCACAF Gold Cup matches and international friendlies featuring Mexico and Argentina. Now, the meeting between LAFC and Inter Miami will mark the first MLS match ever played at “The Grand Old Lady.”
Head-to-head between Messi and Son
Despite spending most of their careers in Europe, Messi primarily with Barcelona and Son with Tottenham Hotspur, the two global stars have rarely crossed paths on the field. Now competing in the same league, the South Korean icon will have an opportunity to even his personal record against the Argentine legend.
Messi and Son have faced each other only twice before, when Barcelona and Tottenham were drawn into Group B of the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League. Barcelona won 4-2 in London, with Messi scoring twice and Son registering an assist, before the teams played to a 1-1 draw at Camp Nou.
The two could have met again in that season’s final, but Barcelona were eliminated in the semifinals following Liverpool’s dramatic 4-0 comeback at Anfield. With one draw and one loss in head-to-head meetings, Son will now look to level the record against Messi, this time on MLS soil, with the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as the stage.