Inter Miami fans could get their first glimpse of Lionel Messi in action with his new team as they take on Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.
Messi has finally completed his move to the MLS, following a high-profile departure from Paris Saint-Germain, as part of a contract until the end of 2025 in Florida.
As fan excitement over Messi reaches fever pitch, head coach Tata Martino has confirmed he is expected to feature in the upcoming game, alongside his old Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets.
The clash with Cruz Azul is a break from the regular MLS season with league action back on the agenda for Messi and Miami from August 20.
MORE: Watch MLS Season Pass on Apple TV at 50% off the full-season price
When is Lionel Messi's Inter Miami debut
- Date: Friday, July 21, 2023
- Stadium: DRV PNK Stadium (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
- Opponent: Cruz Azul (Mexico)
- Competition: Leagues Cup 2023
According to the latest schedule, Messi is on course to make his first appearance as an Inter Miami player on Friday, July 21 against Mexican side Cruz Azul in the inter-continental Leagues Cup.
The Leagues Cup competition pits teams from Major League Soccer against sides from Mexico's Liga MX in a tournament to crown the best team from the two North American heavyweight leagues.
Both MLS and Liga MX are pausing league matches to allow their teams to participate in Leagues Cup.
Inter Miami vs. Cruz Azul kickoff time
This match between Inter Miami and Cruz Azul will be played at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Friday July 21 (US time) and will kick off at 8:00 p.m. local time in the USA.
Here’s how that time translates in time zones across the world:
Inter Miami vs Cruz Azul date, start time
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA | Fri, July 21 | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| Canada | Fri, July 21 | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| UK | Sat, July 22 | 1:00 a.m. BST |
| Australia | Sat, July 22 | 10:00 a.m. AEST |
| India | Sat, July 22 | 5:30 a.m. IST |
| Hong Kong | Sat, July 22 | 8:00 a.m. HKT |
| Malaysia | Sat, July 22 | 8:00 a.m. MYT |
| Singapore | Sat, July 22 | 8:00 a.m. SGT |
| New Zealand | Sat, July 22 | 12:00 a.m. NZST |
MORE: MLS goal scoring records Lionel Messi can break with Inter Miami
Inter Miami vs Cruz Azul live stream, TV channel
As part of their universal coverage of the 2023 MLS season, Inter Miami's Leagues Cup matches will be available for fans across the world via Apple TV's MLS Season Pass.
Fans in the USA will also have additional TV options available for the match from TUDN USA and Univision, which are streamed on Fubo, available to new users on a free trial. Univision streaming platform ViX will also show the contest for subscribers.
