Lionel Messi will make his highly anticipated debut for MLS club Inter Miami as they open their Leagues Cup group stage against Mexican side Cruz Azul at home on Friday, July 21.
Major League Soccer takes a month-long break from regular season play for clubs to take part in this new competition which combines MLS and Liga MX clubs together in a World Cup-style tournament. The Leagues Cup was meant to debut two years ago, but COVID-19 delays have pushed it to 2023.
The competition pairs clubs into three-team groups based on geography, and Inter Miami have been drawn with fellow MLS club Atlanta United and Mexico City side Cruz Azul. The top two teams in the group stage will advance to the 32-team knockout round, with the bottom side going home.
A brand new competition for a brand new era of the U.S. top flight. Can Lionel Messi help turn the difficult Inter Miami season around?
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What time does Inter Miami vs Cruz Azul start?
This Leagues Cup group stage match at DRV PNK Stadium kicks off on Friday, July 21 at 8 p.m. local time in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Here's how that time translates across the major territories across the globe:
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| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA | Fri, July 21 | 8 p.m. ET |
| Canada | Fri, July 21 | 8 p.m. ET |
| UK | Sat, July 22 | 1 a.m. BST |
| Australia | Sat, July 22 | 10 a.m. AEST |
| India | Sat, July 22 | 5:30 a.m. IST |
| Hong Kong | Sat, July 22 | 8 a.m. HKT |
| Malaysia | Sat, July 22 | 8 a.m. MYT |
| Singapore | Sat, July 22 | 8 a.m. SGT |
| New Zealand | Sat, July 22 | 12 p.m. NZST |
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Inter Miami vs Cruz Azul live stream, TV channel
In the USA, the Inter Miami vs. Cruz Azul match is one of a group of select Leagues Cup matches televised in Spanish by TUDN and Univision, which both stream on Fubo, available to new users on a free trial.
Around the world, including in the USA, the English-language broadcast can be found exclusively on Apple TV, via MLS Season Pass.
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Major League Soccer has gone all-in on Inter Miami's matches for the Leagues Cup on Apple TV, announcing they will use an enhanced production setup for all of the club's games in the competition. Their broadcast will feature 18 cameras, including Steadicam, Skycam, and ones with super slow-motion capabilities.
| Region | TV channel | Streaming |
| USA | TUDN, Univision | - Fubo, - Apple TV (MLS Season Pass), - TUDN site/app, - Univision NOW |
| Rest of the World | — | - Apple TV (MLS Season Pass) |
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Inter Miami vs Cruz Azul betting odds
Inter Miami have struggled mightily in Major League Soccer this season, sitting last in the Eastern Conference through 22 matches.
Yet with Lionel Messi, they are favorites in this Leagues Cup opener against Cruz Azul, because of course they are. What else would you expect when the greatest player ever joins the team?
Liga MX have only just begun their new season, and Cruz Azul are also bottom of the table, without a single point through the opening three matches, scoring one goal and conceding six.
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| Inter Miami win | Draw | Cruz Azul win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | MIA -0.5 | CRZ +0.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caesars (USA) | +119 | +245 | +215 | -160 / +125 | -130 / +100 | +120 | -150 |
