Inter Miami is set to kick off their Leagues Cup 2025 campaign by hosting Liga MX powerhouse Atlas at Chase Stadium this Wednesday. This highly anticipated match marks the beginning of the revamped tournament’s Phase One, where Javier Mascherano’s squad, bolstered by the return of Lionel Messi, aims for a strong start. As the 2023 Leagues Cup champions, the Herons are eager to secure their second title in three years, targeting a top-four finish in the MLS section to advance to the quarterfinals. This initial clash against Atlas is crucial for setting the tone for their journey through the competition.
The Herons will face three Liga MX clubs this week, including Atlas, Necaxa, and Pumas UNAM. Despite playing these Mexican teams, Inter Miami’s points will be tallied against the 17 other MLS clubs participating in the tournament to determine the top four qualifiers from their section. While Inter Miami enters Wednesday’s game with mixed form in MLS, having recently won one of their last three matches, Messi’s return is expected to provide a significant boost against the challenging Mexican opposition. Their goal is clear: to leverage their home advantage and Messi’s impact to quickly climb the ranks and improve their chances of securing a coveted spot in the knockout rounds under the new format.
Atlas, known for consistently reaching the knockout rounds in previous Leagues Cup editions, aims to match or surpass their past performance by finishing among the top four Mexican sides in their section. Although they’ve had mixed results recently, an encouraging performance against the Messi-led Inter Miami could significantly benefit Gonzalo Pineda’s team as they look ahead to matches against Orlando City and Atlanta United. Despite a 15-match run without a clean sheet, Atlas is determined to start their Leagues Cup 2025 journey strong in Florida, setting the stage for an exciting international club football showdown.
If you’re wondering how to catch all the action live—whether from the United States or Mexico—here’s everything you need to know, including start time, TV channels, live stream options, and potential starting lineups.
While the official starting lineups are expected to be confirmed just hours before kickoff, here are some of the stars expected to feature:
Inter Miami (4-4-2): Ustari; Alba, Allen, Falcon, Weigandt; Segovia, Busquets, Redondo, Allende; Suarez, Messi.
Atlas (3-4-3): Vargas; Doria, Aguirre, Rios; Lozano, Hernandez Flores, Rocha, Gustavo Ferrareis; Aguirre, Durdevic, Gonzalez.
Contenido GEC