While Lionel Messi, regarded by many as the greatest soccer player of all time, announced in October that he would be prioritizing his happiness over making it to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, there is a chance fans can catch him playing for a different cup a little sooner.
The FIFA Club World Cup announced its qualifiers on Tuesday, December 3, and among the teams is Messi’s current club, Inter Miami. The inclusion of Inter Miami has already evoked some controversy, as the squad is not an MLS Champion. However, the 32nd roster spot in the Club World Cup is reserved for a team representing the host nation. Because the United States will host, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced that Inter Miami was selected to represent the country. So long as he can avoid injury, Messi will be competing in a low-seed first-round competition with Miami.
Messi’s Miami Inter will be the second American Club team to compete in the tournament. The only US team to qualify through gameplay so far was the Seattle Sounders FC, who are seeded at number 20 and qualified with their CONCACAF Champions League win in 2022. On Saturday, The LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls will face off in a qualifying match to see which team will attend the tournament. Also competing in the game will be River Plate and Boca Juniors, two Argentinian Club teams with a strong vendetta against Messi.
The draw for the group stage of the Club World Cup will be on Thursday at 6 PM in Miami. The highest-ranked teams entering the competition are Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate, and Fluminese. The Club World Cup will be held every four years and serve as a test for the FIFA World Cup the following summer.
