The first showdown between Son Heung-min (34, LAFC) and Lionel Messi (39, Inter Miami) is far beyond a 20,000-seat venue.
The MLS offices announced on the 27th that the 2026 season round 1 match between LAFC and Inter Miami, scheduled for Feb. 21, will be held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum instead of the BMO Stadium.
The match, which was originally scheduled to be held at LAFC's home ground, BMO Stadium, has been moved to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which can accommodate 77,000 people. The existing stadium has a capacity of about 22,000. It was judged to be woefully insufficient to host a mega match.
The MLS offices have scaled up to make the Son Heung-min vs. Messi matchup the biggest event in MLS history. It is expected that well over 70,000 spectators will flock to the match, setting a new LAFC single-match attendance record. The MLS single-match attendance record is 82,110, set at the Rose Bowl in 2023 for the derby between LA Galaxy and LAFC.
This event is possible because of the two superstars, Son and Messi. Messi is the star who has explosively boosted MLS's popularity since joining Inter Miami in 2023. Son Heung-min also became a new symbol of North American soccer when his transfer to LAFC last summer set the league's record transfer fee. The matchup between the two superstars in this game is expected to be recorded as the first generational clash in North American soccer history.
The Memorial Coliseum is an iconic American sports venue that hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympics and is also scheduled to host the 2028 Olympics. Although it has hosted numerous soccer matches such as the Gold Cup and international friendlies, this will be the first time an MLS regular-season match is played there.
The organizers decided on the venue change to expand the match scale and maximize its commercial appeal. Fans' and media's expectations have already peaked. The showdown between Son Heung-min and Messi will surely be recorded as a once-in-a-generation event that shakes not only MLS but the entire history of North American soccer.
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