Inter Miami begin their journey in a new edition of the 2026 Leagues Cup with an intriguing opening match against Atletico San Luis. At the modern and luxurious Nu Stadium, Lionel Messi is confirmed to be in the starting lineup for Guillermo Hoyos‘ side.
After the break for the FIFA Club World Cup, Messi returned to action against the Columbus Crew in what ended as a 2-2 draw in another MLS matchday. Now, the No. 10 hopes to lead his Herons to another piece of silverware.
This being the case, and knowing that Luis Suarez can’t play in the 2026 Leagues Cup debut, this is the starting XI that Hoyos will sent onto the pitch: Rocco Rios-Novo (GK); Ian Fray, Fricio Caicedo, Micael dos Santos Silva, Noah Allen; Rodrigo De Paul, Casemiro, Yannick Bright, Telasco Segovia; Lionel Messi (C), Daniel Pinter.
A tournament that suits Inter Miami well
The Leagues Cup has quickly defined Inter Miami’s rise on the continental stage, highlighted by their historic 2023 title—the first trophy in franchise history following Messi’s iconic debut. The Herons proved their mastery of the tournament’s knockout format once again in 2025 by marching all the way to the final.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami hoist the trophy with his teammates.
Although they fell short of a second title after a 3–0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field, reaching two finals in three years cemented the Leagues Cup as a tournament where Miami consistently performs at its best.
How does Atletico San Luis enter this match?
Atletico San Luis head into their Leagues Cup debut against Inter Miami following a mixed start to the Liga MX Apertura 2026 season. In their last three domestic matches, Los Potosinos suffered a tight 3–2 defeat against Cruz Azul, followed by consecutive draws—a 2–2 stalemate away against Tigres and a 0–0 home draw against Club Tijuana.
Inter Miami’s record against Mexican teams
Having played a total of seven matches against Mexican teams, Inter Miami hold a positive record of six wins and just one defeat, which came against Tigres.
- 2023: Defeated Cruz Azul 2–1 in the group stage.
- 2024: Beat Puebla 2–0 in the group stage, suffered their sole loss against Tigres UANL (1–2), and defeated Pumas UNAM 5–3 in the Round of 16.
- 2025: Won all four matchups against Mexican opposition, beating Atlas 2–1, defeating Necaxa in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw, topping Pumas UNAM 3–1, and earning a 2–1 victory over Tigres UANL in the quarterfinals.
