Major League Soccer is back next weekend, and the league’s opening slate comes with a marquee matchup: LAFC host Inter Miami on Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a high-profile cross-conference test set for 6:30 p.m. local time. MLS described the game as the “marquee Saturday night matchup” of opening weekend, which begins earlier in the day with St. Louis CITY SC vs. Charlotte FC.
LAFC’s schedule release confirms the club will open its ninth MLS season vs. Inter Miami on Feb. 21 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with the match presented by BMO. The Coliseum listing and event pages frame it as LAFC’s first-ever match at the LA Coliseum, turning opening day into a statement night in one of the city’s most historic buildings. Inter Miami’s club release also sets the context on their end: their 2026 regular season begins on the road at LAFC on Feb. 21, before the team’s calendar eventually shifts toward the club’s new home era.
The match is billed around star power, but Lionel Messi’s health has become one of the main pregame storylines. Reuters reported Messi suffered a left hamstring muscle strain during preseason, with Inter Miami indicating his return would be gradual and based on recovery. As of now, that puts his availability for opening day under the microscope — and it’s likely a day-to-day watch leading into kickoff.
Inter Miami remain the league’s biggest draw, and recent business reporting underlines that. A Sportico valuation story cited by Reuters placed Inter Miami at the top of MLS franchise valuations, with LAFC right behind — and Reuters noted LAFC’s profile is boosted by international star Son Heung-min.
Whether Messi plays or not, the matchup still lands as one of the league’s loudest early tests: a West Coast heavyweight at home in a massive venue, against the most followed club in the league, in the first weekend of the season.
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