Inter Miami is set to kick off their 2024 Round One MLS Cup Playoffs at Chase Stadium on Friday, October 25. Lionel Messi and Tata Martino’s side will play the winner of the wildcard play-in between Atlanta United and CF Montréal. For Lionel Messi’s first ever playoff game in MLS, the “Spotlight” will be on the GOAT as MLS and TikTok are joining forces.
In a first for the platform, this game will be streamed exclusively on TikTok through the MLS and Inter Miami accounts. With more than a billion users, TikTok will showcase Lionel Messi’s talent to a wide audience. Inter Miami is the only team playing that night, and the match starts at 8:30 p.m. EST.
The spotlight on the Argentine will begin five minutes before kickoff and is a new, innovative approach that offers a fresh way for fans to engage with the action and witness Messi’s skills up close.
Lionel Messi cam for Inter Miami’s first playoff game on TikTok
Lionel Messi comes into his first playoff game fresh off of two hat tricks—one with Argentina and another with Inter Miami. In both matches, Argentina and Inter Miami scored six goals, with Messi contributing to half of his team’s offensive output. Messi is also being touted as a possible MVP of the league.
Even though he only played in 19 league games this season, Messi was able to score 20 goals and add 16 assists. This match marks the return of Inter Miami to the MLS postseason, a stage the club has reached in three of their five seasons but has never advanced past the first round.
The MLS TikTok account has 4.2 million followers, while the Inter Miami account has 9.4 million, making it a significant platform for the league to share Messi content with younger audiences.