How many Inter Miami games will Lionel Messi miss due to Argentina duty?
16 December, 2025n8rngtd.top0 Comments1 category
A look at the Inter Miami games that Lionel Messi is expected to miss due to international duty.
Lionel Messi hit the ground running when he joined Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 and his aura – as well as goals, of course – helped to inspire his team-mates to victory in the Leagues Cup.
The Miami faithful will be hopeful that Messi's magic touch will continue to raise the team as they attempt to recover from a disappointing MLS Regular Season showing to make a late push for the play-offs.
However, they will have to do without the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner for a number of games due to his international commitments with Argentina. Here, GOAL takes a look at which games Messi is expected to miss while he is representing his country.
Unfortunately for Inter Miami, a number of MLS games fall within international windows and that means they will potentially be without Messi for some crucial fixtures.
While Messi starred in Miami's away win against Los Angeles FC on September 3, he now heads to Buenos Aires to join up with the Argentina squad ahead of games on September 7 and September 12.
That means he will be unavailable for Inter Miami's MLS match against Sporting Kansas City on September 9. He could be back for the game against Atlanta United on September 15, but that will depend on his condition, as Argentina will have played three days earlier.
Later, in October, Messi could miss another Inter Miami game since Argentina have two more World Cup Cup qualifying fixtures in that international window.
The fact that Argentina play Peru in Lima on October 17 means that the October 18 home game against Charlotte in MLS is likely to go ahead without Messi.
In a best case scenario, Messi will only miss two Inter Miami games due to Argentina commitments, but could end up missing three. You can see the fixtures that Messi is likely to miss below.
Date
Game
Venue
Sep 9
Inter Miami vs Sporting Kansas City
DRV PNK Stadium, FL
Sep 15
Atlanta United vs Inter Miami*
Mercedes-Benz Stadiu, GA
Oct 18
Inter Miami vs Charlotte
DRV PNK Stadium, FL
*
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When do Argentina play?
Date
Game
Venue
Sep 7
Argentina vs Ecuador
Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires
Sep 12
Bolivia vs Argentina
Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz
Oct 12
Argentina vs Paraguay
Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires
Oct 17
Peru vs Argentina
Estadio Nacional, Lima
Argentina are scheduled to play two games in the upcoming international window, World Cup qualification matches against Ecuador and Bolivia.
The world champions' first game, against Ecuador, will take place on September 7, 2023 in Buenos Aires.
For the second game, on September 12, Messi and the Albiceleste will then fly northwest to the other side of the continent to play Bolivia in La Paz.
There is another international window in October, with games on October 12 and October 17.
You can see the relevant games from Inter Miami's perspective above.
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How to watch Lionel Messi play for Inter Miami & Argentina
All Inter Miami games in MLS can be watched live across the world on Apple TV with a MLS Season Pass.
The U.S. Open Cup final against Houston Dynamo can be watched live on the CBS Sports Network and available to stream live online with Paramount+.
The broadcaster for Argentina World Cup qualifying games and friendlies in the U.S. has not yet been confirmed.
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How to get tickets to watch Lionel Messi
Ticketmaster U.S. is the main ticket vendor for Inter Miami MLS games. You can search for availability on the official Ticketmaster website.
Alternatively, fans who want to see Messi in the flesh can try to buy re-sale tickets from StubHub. However, they should be prepared for higher prices than normal.