At rain-soaked DRV PNK Stadium, Lionel Messi was formally introduced as an Inter Miami player on Sunday along with teammate Sergio Busquets in front of a sold-out crowd that braved adverse weather conditions.
The presentation was delayed because of rain and lightning that lasted nearly an hour, forcing fans to take cover just as they were entering the stadium. They were eventually allowed to their seats and the show began, as Inter Miami owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas warmed up the crowd with Mas ultimately introducing Messi to the fans.
Part of the ceremony included a special video played in the stadium featuring various Miami and national celebrities welcoming Messi to the city and to the U.S.
Following his presentation, Messi will begin preparing for his debut on Friday, July 21 against Mexican side Cruz Azul in 2023 Leagues Cup action.
Messi presentation live updates, highlights and commentary
9:23 p.m. ET: The Apple TV broadcast has ended, but the show continues at DRV PNK Stadium.
9:05 p.m. ET: Both the Messi family and the Beckhams have joined the stage under the drizzle.
8:56 p.m. ET: With a hyped introduction from Jorge Mas, Messi is finally presented.
8:52 p.m. ET: Sergio Busquets is the first player to be presented.
8:40 p.m. ET: Check out the scenes inside of DRV PNK Stadium:
8:35 p.m. ET: Despite the rain, the presentation has started free on Apple TV. Look for MLS Season Pass on your phone, tablet, or browser.
8:29 p.m. ET: Inter Miami owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas on the pitch greeting the supporters' section.
8:18 p.m. ET: Check out how the weather has turned around just in time for the presentation.
7:58 p.m. ET: Here's proof that Sergio Busquets is also going to be unveiled tonight.
7:52 p.m. ET: Officially, the show is set to start at 8 p.m. ET.
7:47 p.m. ET: It's a Lionel Messi sighting. The man of the moment has arrived.
7:40 p.m. ET: It looks like the fans are going to be part of the show in more ways than one. Check out the elaborate instructions for the light show portion:
7:30 p.m. ET: Multiple reports say that fans are being let into the stadium. Looks like there might be a show after all.
7:22 p.m. ET: It was raining so hard that the stadium tunnels were flooded.
7:04 p.m. ET: This was the scene at one of the gates where fans busted through to seek shelter from the storm.
6:37 p.m. ET: Update: There is no update. So why not pass the time with some "Muchachooooos":
6:07 p.m. ET: Fans will have to brave the elements to get a glimpse at their new hero. That wind and rain is crazy.
6:02 p.m. ET: The Beckhams are in the house.
5:53 p.m. ET: Imagine being on this long a line with the weather that's apparently hitting DRV PNK Stadium.
5:47 p.m. ET: We're getting everything tonight, including a weather delay. We'll see how long this pushes things. Fans were reportedly told to seek shelter.
5:36 p.m. ET: It's still early and fans are already flying through tables in the parking lot to the tune of "Muchachoooos!"
5:33 p.m. ET: And just in time for today's presentation, the club makes the Sergio Busquets signing official, after hinting at it a few weeks ago. No doubt he'll be there tonight.
5:26 p.m. ET: It's going to cost you a little extra than the original $30 sales price to get into the stadium tonight. Season ticket holders got in free.
5:09 p.m. ET: Wait, what? Messi jerseys going for $200! Fans might need more than that for a game ticket.
5:06 p.m. ET: Of course someone would show up with an actual goat for the GOAT's presentation.
5:03 p.m. ET: What DRV PNK Stadium looks like an hour before the start of the near 4-hour show. Apparently parking could be a challenge with long lines reported. One fan said they were in lin
5:00 p.m. ET: In case you're wondering, this presentation event sold out within an hour. Season ticket holders got free tickets and the rest of the tickets were put on sale on Friday, July 14. But they didn't last long.
What time is Lionel Messi's presentation at Inter Miami?
Originally labeled by Inter Miami as 'The Unveil' and later as 'La PresentaSIon' (with an emphasis on the 'Si' which translates to 'Yes' in English) is taking place on Sunday, July 16.
The in-stadium show will kick off at 6 p.m. ET, while the key portion featuring Lionel Messi will start at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Messi's presentation will be taking place at Inter Miami's DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale at 8:30 p.m. local time. Here is how that translates to major regions around the world:
| Region | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Sat, July 16 | 8:30 p.m. ET |
| Canada | Sat, July 16 | 8:30 p.m. ET |
| UK | Sun, July 17 | 1:30 a.m. BST |
| Australia | Sun, July 17 | 10:30 a.m. AEST |
| India | Sun, July 17 | 6 a.m. IST |
| Singapore | Sun, July 17 | 8:30 a.m. SGT |
| Hong Kong | Sun, July 17 | 8:30 a.m. HKT |
| Malaysia | Sun, July 17 | 8:30 a.m. MYT |
| New Zealand | Sun, July 17 | 12:30 p.m. NZST |
How to watch Lionel Messi's presentation at Inter Miami
'The Unveil' will be available for fans around the world to watch for FREE in English and Spanish on the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET.
- Date: Sunday, July 16, 2023
- Live stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
- Stream start time: 8:30 p.m. ET
The club will also be live streaming a portion of the event on the Inter Miami CF official Twitter, YouTube and Twitch channels. This could presumably be the part taking place between 6 p.m. ET and 8:30 p.m. ET, before the Apple TV exclusive window starts.
Kaylyn Kyle will host Apple TV's English-language commentary team that includes Taylor Twellman, Sacha Kljestan, and Stefano Fusaro.
The Apple TV Spanish-language team will include Messi's former teammate and MLS legend Diego Valeri, Eduardo Biscayart, Antonella Gonzalez, and Andres Agulla.
The Athletic previously reported that MLS have been in talks with CONCACAF, and broadcasters Fox and Univision, to have Messi's presentation aired during halftime of the Gold Cup final between Mexico and Panama which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET.
Expect to see plenty of Messi on Apple TV with the player reportedly set to earn a percentage of new MLS Season Pass subscriptions as part of his Miami contract.
Tickets to Lionel Messi presentation
Inter Miami invited their season ticket holders to sign up for free tickets to attend the Messi presentation by Wednesday, July 12.
The rest of the tickets went on sale two days later at $30 and were reportedly sold out within an hour.
The official club site lists DRV PNK Stadium's capacity at 19,100 though the club has added a grandstand to one of the stadium ends.
DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale is a temporary home for Inter Miami as they build a new 25,000-seat, privately funded downtown home called Miami Freedom Park.
The expected inauguration date for the new stadium in the vicinity of Miami International Airport is some time during the 2025 season, which is projected to be Messi's last with the club unless he exercises a one-year option to extend his deal through the end of 2026.
When Miami Freedom Park is opened, DRV PNK Stadium would continue to be the home of the club's MLS Next Pro team, as well as select Inter Miami matches.