Inter Miami are determined to avenge their defeat in the 2025 Leagues Cup final in 2026. However, the Herons won’t have their best striker available, as Luis Suarez must serve a suspension throughout the entire competition.
Suarez was handed a six-game suspension after spitting on a Seattle Sounders staff member following the 2025 Leagues Cup final, in which Inter Miami fell 3-0. While several players were involved in a brawl and walked away without punishment, Suarez crossed a red line.
Although the Herons hoped an appeal would reduce the suspension, it was to no avail. As a result, Suarez will have to serve his entire ban in the Leagues Cup, and the Herons will have to make do with what they have.
Suarez is suspended for entire 2026 Leagues Cup
Because the veteran striker was handed a six-game ban and Inter Miami could play a maximum of six games in the 2026 Leagues Cup, Suarez would miss every outing should the Herons make it all the way to the final.
Luis Suárez #9 of Inter Miami CF.
Guillermo Hoyos, Lionel Messi, and Inter Miami were well aware of Suarez’s suspension entering the tournament. Whether they agree with the organizers’ ban or not, the Herons have accepted their situation. If they want to make noise in the cross MLS-Liga MX competition, they will have to figure out a way to fill Suarez’s void.
However, there is also a scenario in which Suarez’s suspension carries on to the 2027 Leagues Cup—provided the Herons qualify to next year’s tournament.
What would happen if Inter Miami fall before the final
If the Herons are eliminated before the final, Suarez could have to serve the remaining games of his suspension during next year’s tournament. Moreover, if Inter Miami are knocked out in the round-robin stage, Suarez will miss the entire first round of the 2027 tournament as well.
Should the Herons fail to advance to the knockout stage next year, the Uruguayan could miss two entire Leagues Cups in a row. That may be looking too far ahead, though, as Suarez is under contract through 2026, but his future beyond that remains uncertain.
2026 Leagues Cup format for Inter Miami
Inter Miami will play three Liga MX teams—Atletico San Luis, Monterrey, and Leon—in the first round. If they rank among the top four MLS teams, the Herons will advance to the knockout stage. The elimination round begins with the quarterfinals and is played as single-leg knockout games, meaning Inter Miami could play up to six games.
