There will be heat, there will be snow, and there will be, regardless of the color of the balls, MLS this weekend.
Major League Soccer returns for its 30th season on Saturday, with 26 teams kicking off on the first day and two games held over for the Sunday, including the first-ever match for the league’s 30th club, San Diego FC.
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With transfer records smashed, a looming FIFA Club World Cup and the first transfers within the league, the 2025 MLS season is the most intriguing yet. Oh, and Messi is still here.
Check out three must-see matches unfolding in MLS this weekend.
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Inter Miami CF vs. New York City FC: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET
The 2024 Supporters’ Shield champions started their competitive season midweek with a Concacaf Champions Cup 1–0 away win over Sporting Kansas City. Now, Messi’s Inter Miami CF kick off MLS action on Saturday in Florida. It will be far warmer than the game in Kansas City, and the visiting New York City FC can expect a welcome reprieve as well.
While the match was supposed to kick off the MLS season as a standalone 2:30 p.m. ET kickoff, it has been pushed to 7:30 p.m. ET. Still, the start of the MLS season with the third year of Lionel Messi and the managerial debut for two coaches is a highly anticipated matchup.
Javier Mascherano takes on his first league game after an intense preseason. Given the Herons' slight lead in Champions Cup play, the Argentine will likely be tentative about going all-out with his starting lineup. They’ve still got great depth in some winter signings, particularly with Telasco Segovia, Tadeo Allende and Fafa Picault.
NYCFC roll into South Florida with an opportunity to take on an already tired Miami side. NYCFC’s preseason wasn’t nearly as grueling travel-wise, and they also got a head coaching debut for Pascal Jansen.
Key midfielder Santiago Rodriguez seems likely to play; however, he has recently been linked to Brazil’s Botafogo for a significant fee, which may tempt the club to sit him out of this one.
Outside of Rodriguez, there’s still a lot to like for the Pigeons. Hannes Wolf is coming off a season that saw him create 74 chances, leading scorer Alonso Martinez bagged 16 goals and goalkeeper Matt Freese finished second in MLS Goalkeeper of the Year voting in 2024.
NYCFC also hopes to end their streak of losing five straight season openers, and it’s the 11th time in as many seasons they’re starting away from home.
Atlanta United vs. CF Montréal: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Latte Lath's ambitions match our own.
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) February 19, 2025
We just want to 𝘄𝗶𝗻. pic.twitter.com/XSqd0ICWtA
After spending over $40 million this offseason, and with a new head coach and sporting director, no team has had a more formative winter than Atlanta United. CF Montréal will hope it doesn’t all click in the first game.
Former NYCFC and MLS Cup-winning head coach Ronny Deila takes the reins on the touchline, and new sporting director Chris Henderson has given him the freedom he needs to succeed. Emmanuel Latte Lath has been in camp for less than two weeks but could deliver in his first game, given that he cost an MLS record of $22 million plus add-ons from Middlesbrough.
In addition, they’ve brought back club legend Miguel Almiron and combined him in midfield with Saba Lobjanidze, who was already a star through 2024, scoring 10 goals.
In a rematch of 2024’s Eastern Conference Wild Card matchup, Montréal will hope to squander the Atlanta excitement. They’ve got consistency on the touchline with Laurent Courtois returning and have added DP striker Giacomo Vrioni from the New England Revolution. They also signed Toronto FC striker Prince Owusu.
This one will be a good battle, with an Atlanta team still trying to figure themselves out and a Montreal side playing the plucky underdog with the chance for a Vrioni moment.
San Diego FC vs. LA Galaxy: Sunday, 7:00 p.m. ET
For the first time…
— San Diego FC (@sandiegofc) February 16, 2025
…Your San Diego FC pic.twitter.com/vwXKFRjP2b
It’s a new team against an automatic rival—the reigning MLS Cup Champions. On Sunday, MLS will introduce its 30th team in its 30th year, as midfielder Chucky Lozano leads San Diego FC into the California rivalry against the LA Galaxy.
While an expansion team’s first game can be nerve-wracking, this game presents more of the unknown for both teams. San Diego will look to Lozano, USMNT midfielder Luca de la Torre and former New York Red Bulls defender Andres Reyes for experience in their first game while LA attempts to figure out its injury-ridden era.
Key players from LA’s MLS Cup-winning squad are gone. Mark Delgado, Gaston Brugman and Dejan Joveljic are no longer with the club, while key attackers Riqui Puig and Joseph Paintsil are injured for the first few weeks of the season.
Head coach Mikey Varas might get lucky for his San Diego side here, given the Galaxy’s status, but taking on the reigning champions with the weight of the club’s first game is never an easy task.
Others to watch: Cascadia Clash, Texas Derby
Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas: Luciano Acosta and Petar Musa link up for the first time under FC Dallas head coach Eric Quill as they take on the classic Texas Derby in hopes of establishing themselves as an elite attacking duo in MLS.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Which MLS Matches Are Must-Watch on Opening Weekend?.
