Lionel Messi has been the feeling of Main League Soccer since his arrival in North America in mid-2023, drawing curiosity from followers and celebrities alike in a wave of consideration also known as the “Messi impact.” Forward of the 2026 MLS season, that curiosity has produced yet one more milestone, as D.C. United will change venues for his or her matchup towards Inter Miami.
With “MLS Is Again” weekend scheduled for February 21–22, Inter Miami will play a number of street matches earlier than the inauguration of Miami Freedom Park towards Austin FC on April 4. For Matchday 3, the Herons are set to go to D.C. United on March 7, and forward of that sport, the hosts have made an distinctive determination.
D.C. United have determined to maneuver the match from Audi Area to M&T Financial institution Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Dwelling of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, the venue is now set to host Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.
“D.C. United vs. Inter Miami CF on March 7, 2026, will probably be performed at M&T Financial institution Stadium in Baltimore, MD,” the membership introduced on its official web site, alongside the discharge of particular pre-sale ticket entry. The first motivation behind the transfer is to develop capability, rising attendance from Audi Area’s roughly 20,000 seats to greater than 70,000 on the Ravens’ house stadium.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF is challenged by Kye Rowles #15 of D.C. United.
Since Messi’s arrival in MLS, Inter Miami and D.C. United have confronted one another 4 occasions, twice in Miami and twice within the U.S. capital. Nevertheless, Messi was unavailable for each matches performed in Washington, D.C., as he was recovering from accidents, whereas he featured in each conferences at Fort Lauderdale.
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With an ideal house file of two wins from two matches, Messi is now anticipated, barring an surprising setback, to make his first away look towards D.C. United. For that event, the hosts have opted for a serious change, shifting the match from the nation’s capital to Baltimore.
Different venue modifications since Messi’s arrival
Whereas the preliminary growth of mid-2023 has cooled barely, Messi continued to drive file attendance figures all through the 2025 season, and that development is anticipated to hold into 2026 with the World Cup approaching. In that sense, D.C. United aren’t the primary membership to relocate a match because of the Argentine’s presence.
In 2024, Sporting Kansas Metropolis moved its match towards Inter Miami from Kids’s Mercy Park to GEHA Area at Arrowhead Stadium on April 13. A 12 months later, in April 2025 on Matchday 9, Columbus Crew shifted their fixture from Decrease.com Area to Huntington Financial institution Stadium, house of the Cleveland Browns—each strikes designed to accommodate bigger crowds for Messi’s go to.
