Lionel Messi’s inaugural MLS Cup playoff match with Inter Miami is set for Oct. 25 and will be broadcast live on a massive screen that stretches across an entire block of New York’s Times Square.
Major League Soccer announced Thursday that Inter Miami’s playoff opener will be the only match on Friday night, kicking off at 8:30 p.m. ET.
This marks a slight change to the original playoff schedule, which was slated to begin on Oct. 26.
Inter Miami secured the MLS Supporters’ Shield, awarded to the league’s best regular-season team, on Wednesday night with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Columbus.
As the top seed, Inter Miami holds home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and would host the MLS Cup final on Dec. 7, should they advance.
“We have a significant advantage since we’ll be playing all our matches at home, which is what we were aiming for,” Messi said. “I think we are very strong at home. I believe that being at home gives us a great advantage, and now we just have to prove it.”
The Supporters’ Shield was Messi’s 46th trophy won for his various clubs or while playing for Argentina, extending his record. Inter Miami won the Leagues Cup last season in Messi’s first year with the club but did not qualify for the MLS playoffs.
MLS also announced that there will be different broadcast elements for Inter Miami’s playoff opener.
Apple TV will make the match available to its customers, regardless of whether they have an MLS Season Pass subscription.
The match will also be shown live on a 25,000-square-foot digital television display screen on Broadway between 45th and 46th streets in New York’s Times Square.
Inter Miami will open the playoffs in a best-of-three series against the winner of the Eastern Conference’s wild-card match, which will be played on Oct. 22.
The full MLS Cup playoff bracket won’t be set until Oct. 19, the final day of the league’s regular season.
Playing the match on Friday night in Fort Lauderdale also avoids the potential for conflict with other significant sporting events in South Florida that weekend.
Miami and Florida State will renew their annual college football rivalry on Oct. 26.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, currently sidelined while dealing with the aftereffects of a concussion, will be eligible to return from injured reserve for his team’s game against Arizona on Oct. 27.
NASCAR also has a playoff race at Homestead-Miami Speedway that weekend.
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