- Miami has already postponed one foreign trip to China.
- Players from the Hong Kong First Division League will face the team.
- February 4 is the date of the match.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are finally scheduled to embark on their maiden international tour against the Hong Kong Team in February 2024, following a flurry of rumors and conjecture.
Miami had previously scheduled a trip to China in November to play Chengdu Rongcheng and Qingdao Hainiu of the Chinese Super League; however, those plans were canceled due to “unforeseen circumstances.”
But there’s still more. Two of the greatest players of all time would square off in a friendly match between the Herons and Cristiano Ronaldo of the Saudi Pro League for “one last dance.” 90min, however, revealed that the two teams would not actually be playing.
“We’re very excited to be visiting Hong Kong and indeed Asia for the very first time,” said managing owner Jorge Mas. “From the very beginning we set out to be a global club at Inter Miami. This is a wonderful opportunity to do just that; we hope to enthuse and inspire new Inter Miami fans in Hong Kong and across Asia who share our passion for futbol.”
On February 4 at Hong Kong Stadium, Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suarez will play in a friendly matchup against the top players in the Hong Kong First Division League.
“Hong Kong is a beautiful city with a great sports scene,” added co-owner David Beckham in a release. “Throughout my career, I have spent a lot of time in Asia – I am so pleased to have the opportunity to bring Inter Miami to play our first international tour match in this fantastic city.”
With head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino, the South Florida team will face higher expectations in year two after finishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference table in 2022 despite winning the Leagues Cup. In addition to vying for US Open Cup and MLS Cup titles, Miami will make its debut in the Concacaf Champions Cup, which has been redesigned.