Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will play their road matchup of the 2025 MLS season against Columbus Crew at the Cleveland Browns' Huntington Bank Field on April 19, the Crew announced.
The 2024 Leagues Cup Champion will host the 2024 Supporters' Shield winners in the first ever MLS regular season game played in Cleveland, as well as the first in the 67,000-seat stadium that has previously hosted USMNT and USWNT games. Now, it will host the greatest player of all time.
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Dee and Jimmy Haslam, owners of both the Browns and the Crew, had previously considered the possibility of playing Miami at Huntington Bank Field if the two teams met in the semifinals of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, but the plan fell through when the Herons got eliminated. Now, the plan will materialize during the MLS season.
Crew's president of business operations, John Glessing, gave the reasons for the venue change. "At Huntington Bank Field, we can welcome significantly more Crew fans, and it gives us an opportunity to engage with new fans in Northeast Ohio," he said.
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Lower.com Field, the Crew's regular home stadium, will have a capacity of 20,401 after new seats were added, still considerably less than what's available at the NFL stadium. However, if the two teams clash in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals, the game will be played at Lower.com Field.
The first MLS game in Cleveland will kick off at 4:30 p.m. to allow travelling fans to be able to return home without having to spend the night at the city. Priority presale tickets will be available on Jan. 13, with general public tickets becoming available on Jan. 14.
Find the full Inter Miami 2025 MLS season schedule here.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Inter Miami to Play Columbus Crew at NFL Stadium in 2025 MLS Season.
