Lionel Messi has been on a tear in Major League Soccer, and expected to be back on the pitch Saturday in Toronto.
Messi is expected to play with Inter Miami against Toronto FC on Saturday, Sept. 27 at BMO Field. The match is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Messi enters the match in the lead for the MLS Golden Boot with 24 goals after scoring a brace with an assist in his last match, a 4-0 win against New York City FC on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
Messi also leads MLS with 37 goal contributions (24 goals, 13 assists), which could fuel his bid to become the first player in league history to win consecutive MVP awards.
All eyes will be on Messi as Inter Miami chases points, entering the match five points behind the Philadelphia Union in the standings for the Supporters’ Shield – which Inter Miami won in 2024.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Toronto FC vs. Inter Miami match:
Is Messi playing today?
Messi is expected to play. His status for the match will be confirmed when Inter Miami announces its starting lineup an hour before kickoff.
How to watch Toronto FC vs. Inter Miami?
The match will be available on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, and the Apple TV+ channel on Amazon Prime, Xfinity and DirecTV.
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What time is Toronto FC vs Inter Miami match?
The match is on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 4:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. in Argentina).
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Where is the Toronto FC vs. Inter Miami match?
The match will be played at BMO Field in Toronto.
Will Inter Miami make the MLS p3layoffs?
Yes, Inter Miami has clinched a berth into the MLS Cup playoffs after their 4-0 victory against New York City FC on Sept. 24.
Toronto FC vs. Inter Miami betting odds
Here are the betting odds for today’s match, according to BETMGM.
- Toronto FC: +290
- Draw: +300
- Inter Miami: -130
- Over/under: 3.5 goals
What to know about Inter Miami and Toronto FC
Inter Miami is third in the MLS Eastern Conference standings (and fifth in MLS) with 55 points from 29 matches. They are five points away from Philadelphia Union for the MLS Supporters’ Shield lead with five matches remaining this season.
Toronto FC is 12th of 15 teams in the East with 27 points, but have already been eliminated from MLS Cup playoff contention. Toronto enters the match following six straight draws, where they allowed just one goal in five of the six matches.
Sergio Busquets announces his retirement
Inter Miami also enters the Toronto match, following news that legendary midfielder Sergio Busquets will retire at the end of the 2025 MLS season. Busquets made the announcement on his Instagram account on Thursday, Sept. 25. Busquets won the World Cup with Spain in 2010, and was the first former FC Barcelona star to join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.
Lionel Messi Inter Miami contract update
Messi is nearing a contract extension with Inter Miami to keep him in MLS and the United States for at least two more seasons through 2027, USA TODAY Sports reported on Sept. 17.
Will Messi play in 2026 World Cup?
Messi has yet to declare whether he will play in the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer. But he did offer some insight after the Argentina match earlier this month.
“Because of my age, the most logical thing is that I won’t make it. But well, we’re almost there so I’m excited and motivated to play it,” Messi said on Sept. 4. “Like I always say, I go day by day, match by match. That’s it taking it day by day, going by how I feel. Day by day, trying to feel good and above all, being honest with myself. When I feel good, I enjoy it. But when I don’t, honestly, I don’t have a good time, so I prefer not to be there if I don’t feel good. So, we’ll see. I haven’t made a decision about the World Cup.”
Messi’s upcoming schedule with Inter Miami and Argentina
Here is Lionel Messi’s schedule with Inter Miami and Argentina through the end of the 2025 MLS season. The MLS Cup playoffs begin on Oct. 22.
- Sept. 30: Inter Miami vs. Chicago Fire, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Oct. 4: Inter Miami vs. New England, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Oct. 10: Argentina vs. Venezuela, 8 p.m. ET (International Friendly in Miami)
- Oct. 11: Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Oct. 13: Puerto Rico vs. Argentina, 7 p.m. ET (International Friendly in Chicago)
- Oct. 18: Nashville vs. Inter Miami, 6 p.m. ET