Lionel Messi’s First Playoff Game with Inter Miami Will Be Streamed for Free on Apple TV
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are set to launch their journey toward the MLS Cup, starting with a game on Friday night that streaming fans can watch for free on Apple TV. The match will also be displayed live in Times Square, New York City, according to an announcement from MLS on Thursday.
Inter Miami, aiming for their third championship and Messi’s 47th career title, will kick off at 8:30 p.m. ET on October 25. They will compete against the victor of the Eastern Conference wild-card match happening on October 22 between the No. 8 and No. 9 teams.
Miami clinched the No. 1 overall seed and home-field advantage for the playoffs by winning the MLS Supporters’ Shield with a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew on Wednesday.
This Supporters’ Shield marks the second trophy for Inter Miami since Messi joined the team in July 2023, following their triumph in the Leagues Cup last year. It is also Messi’s 46th title in his acclaimed career.
This game will be Messi’s debut in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Fans can tune in to the live stream on Apple TV, regardless of whether they have an MLS Season Pass subscription. Moreover, people in New York City can watch the game on SILVERCAST Media’s impressive “Mega-Zilla” screen, which measures 78 feet by 330 feet and stretches across an entire city block on Broadway between 45th and 46th Streets.
The teams that are currently positioned eighth and ninth have not confirmed their playoff places yet; CF Montreal holds the eighth position with 40 points, while Toronto FC is ninth, just ahead of Philadelphia Union and D.C. United, all with 37 points.
Toronto is the only team with one match left in the season as they host Inter Miami on Saturday, while Montreal, Philadelphia, and D.C. United all have two games to play. The season concludes on Decision Day, set for October 19.
The first round of the MLS Cup playoffs involves a best-of-three format, featuring a home game, an away game, and a potential third home game.
Following the first round, only the teams that win will advance in the knockout stages: conference semifinals (scheduled for November 23-24), conference finals (November 30-December 1), and the MLS Cup final on December 7.
If Inter Miami wins its last two matches—against Toronto and the New England Revolution on October 19—they would set a new MLS record with 74 points in a single season. The current record of 73 points was achieved by the Revolution in 2021.
