Inter Miami didn't qualify for the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs, but they'll still be playing a fellow Major League Soccer club in early November.
While the playoffs happen around them, Inter Miami and New York City FC will meet in a post-season friendly to celebrate Lionel Messi's record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or.
At least, that's the official story. In practice, the match will largely serve as a method of keeping Messi fit for his critical World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil later in November.
Still, the festivities on November 10 — the game is being called Noche d'Or, or 'Golden Night', in honour of Messi's latest individual award — are likely to generate plenty of attention. It will give the Argentina star the chance to give a speech in front of adoring fans, who will be in attendance to salute his achievement.
"We want to join him in celebrating his eighth Ballon d'Or, but it's also an opportunity to compete again, even if it's a friendly, so that people can see Leo and his teammates on the field," said Inter Miami coach Tata Martino.
The Sporting News brings you all the details of this friendly with Messi at the forefront.
MORE: Watch the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs exclusively on MLS Season Pass from AppleTV
Inter Miami vs NYCFC friendly live stream, TV channel
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| Global | — | Apple TV (MLS Season Pass) |
The friendly match between Inter Miami and NYCFC will be available to watch exclusively on MLS Season Pass from Apple TV.
Apple TV is also the exclusive home of the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs, with the first round nearing conclusion and the quarterfinals nearly complete.
What time does Inter Miami vs NYCFC friendly kick off?
This club friendly at DRV PNK Stadium kicks off on Friday, November 10 at 8 p.m. local time in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA/Canada | Fri, Nov. 10 | 8 p.m. ET |
| USA/Canada | Fri, Nov. 10 | 5 p.m. PT |
| UK | Sat, Nov. 11 | 1 a.m. GMT |
| Australia | Sat, Nov. 11 | 10 a.m. AEST |
| India | Sat, Nov. 11 | 5:30 a.m. IST |
| Hong Kong | Sat, Nov. 11 | 8 a.m. HKT |
| Malaysia | Sat, Nov. 11 | 8 a.m. MYT |
| Singapore | Sat, Nov. 11 | 8 a.m. SGT |
| New Zealand | Sat, Nov. 11 | 12 p.m. NZST |
Be advised, Inter Miami will also hold pre-match festivities to celebrate Messi's eighth Ballon d'Or. These will begin at 6 p.m. ET, two hours before kickoff of the match.
Will Lionel Messi play in Inter Miami vs NYCFC friendly?
While it's unlikely he will play the full 90 minutes, Lionel Messi is likely to play some part in this match.
The game has been arranged for his benefit, and his honor, after all. The Argentine won yet another Ballon d'Or trophy in late October, giving him eight across his illustrious career, the most of anyone in history.
With Inter Miami out of the MLS playoffs, Messi needs game time to keep him fit and ready for Argentina's matches against Uruguay and Brazil later this month.
From a competitive standpoint, none of Argentina's World Cup qualifiers are of a terribly high importance anymore on their own. The FIFA tournament's expansion for 2026 makes Argentina essentially a shoo-in for qualification, and no single game will be critical in a purely logistical manner.
Yet their November opponents are two of Argentina's fiercest South American rivals in Uruguay and Brazil. As such, these matches have been circled on their calendar for some time regardless of their minimal effect on the reigning world champions' qualification chances.
Inter Miami had initially scheduled a pair of games in China for this purpose, but those were called off due to "logistical hurdles" and this fixture was organized last-minute instead.
Inter Miami vs NYCFC friendly squads & team news
In preparation for his upcoming games with Argentina next week, Lionel Messi will play for Inter Miami, head coach Tata Martino confirmed. Yet it's unlikely he will play the full 90 minutes to keep him fresh and ready for national-team duty.
There isn't a ton of further information on who could play in the match. Other South Americans with Inter Miami could also use this match for a similar purpose. Messi's Argentine teammates Facundo Farias and Tomas Aviles are not likely to be selected for national-team duty, but striker Leo Campana could potentially be called in by Ecuador.
Other South American internationals Josef Martinez and Dixon Arroyo have seen their Inter Miami contracts expire and will not take part. European internationals Robert Taylor and Serhiy Kryvtsov could use this match for a similar purpose to that of their South American teammates.
NYCFC does not have any players who are likely to make South American international rosters in the coming week, but it could be a chance for 21-year-old Brazilian Talles Magno to get some more playing time as he continues to develop into an important player for his MLS side.
