Soccer sensation Lionel Messi will take the field for the first match of the 2025 MLS season, which is set to start its 30^th season on February 22, as announced by the league on Thursday.

Inter Miami CF, the current Supporters’ Shield title holders, will host New York City FC to kick off the opening weekend on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

San Diego FC will have its debut match as the 30^th MLS team on the road against the reigning champions, L.A. Galaxy, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, on February 23 at 7 p.m. ET.

The New York Red Bulls, champions of the Eastern Conference, will have to wait until May for their rematch from the MLS Cup final, facing off against the Galaxy on May 10 at the newly renamed Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.

The MLS All-Star game is scheduled for July 23 at Q2 Stadium, home of Austin FC, in Texas.

The league will pause from June 14 to 24 for the group stages of two major tournaments: the FIFA Club World Cup and the Concacaf Gold Cup, both of which will take place in the United States next summer.

Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders are the only MLS teams competing in the Club World Cup, an event featuring the world’s top 32 clubs. Meanwhile, the Concacaf Gold Cup involves national teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Important dates on the 2025 MLS schedule:

• MLS Rivalry Week: May 14-18.
• League Cup 2025: July 29 – August 31.
• MLS Decision Day (final day of the regular season): October 18.
• Playoff dates for the 2025 MLS Cup will be announced later.

All 510 MLS matches will be available to stream live via the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The league will also feature a dedicated Sunday night game with enhanced production and special studio programming.

Next year, FOX Sports will air 34 MLS matches, comprising 15 games on FOX and 19 on FS1, with each match also broadcast in Spanish on FOX Deportes.