The Future of Inter Miami: Miami Freedom Park

As the anticipation builds for the 2026 MLS season, soccer fans in Miami have a lot to look forward to with the upcoming opening of Miami Freedom Park, the new home of Inter Miami CF. While the stadium is still under construction, the project received a significant boost from the State of Florida, further solidifying its importance to the local community and beyond.

Governor Ron DeSantis made headlines recently with an announcement at Inter Miami’s temporary home, Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. The governor revealed that the State of Florida would be granting $8 million to Miami-Dade County to support infrastructure improvements around the new stadium site. This funding is earmarked specifically for constructing roadways that will alleviate traffic congestion, an essential consideration given the stadium’s proximity to Miami International Airport.

The governor’s remarks highlight the state’s strategic approach to supporting large-scale projects like Miami Freedom Park. While direct funding for the stadium’s construction isn’t on the table, the investment in infrastructure underscores the state’s commitment to ensuring the success of such ventures.

Miami Freedom Park isn’t just about soccer; it’s a vision for a multifaceted community space that includes a 26,700-seat stadium, a 58-acre park, hotels, offices, retail, and entertainment venues. Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas emphasized this broader vision during the announcement, calling the project “transformational” for Miami.

The project is set to create over 13,000 direct and indirect jobs and generate more than $40 million in tax revenue for state and local governments. In addition to the stadium, the project promises to deliver the largest park in the City of Miami, offering a significant recreational space for residents.

The journey to Miami Freedom Park has been a long and challenging one for the Mas brothers and co-owner David Beckham. After years of political hurdles and delays, the City of Miami finally approved the $1 billion project in April 2022. The stadium is being built on the site of the former Melreese Golf Course, a location that will soon transform into a vibrant hub for sports and entertainment.

Inter Miami CF has already made waves in the soccer world, especially with the signing of Argentine superstar Lionel Messi. The arrival of Messi, along with other top talents like Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, has catapulted the team into the global spotlight, raising expectations for what lies ahead.

Governor DeSantis acknowledged the impact of these signings, noting, “What we’ve seen in soccer in South Florida has been incredible, especially when they brought Messi on. That was like the biggest thing ever, having a global superstar like that right here is a really big deal for our community.”

As Miami Freedom Park nears completion, the excitement continues to build. With its opening scheduled for the 2026 MLS season, the stadium will not only serve as the new home for Inter Miami but also as a key venue for the 2026 World Cup, which the United States will co-host. The future looks bright for soccer in Miami, and Miami Freedom Park is set to be at the heart of it all, driving both the sport and the local economy to new heights.

Soccer Star Lionel Messi Buys Fort Lauderdale Waterfront Mansion

Lionel Messi and his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, purchased an eight-bedroom mansion in Fort Lauderdale’s Bay Colony through a business run by Messi’s money manager, Alfonso Nebot.

Messi has been sighted looking at homes from Fort Lauderdale to Boca Raton in South Florida. Messi and Roccuzzo paid $10.8 million for the house at 91 Compass Lane, which was sold by John and Stacy Dickerson. The Dickersons paid $9 million for the estate in May of last year, so when they decided to sell it, they received a 20% increase in price.

According to a 2022 listing for the house, the 0.4-acre property boasts 170 feet of waterfrontage, two docks, a waterfront pool, a gym/spa area, and an Italian kitchen. According to property records, the residence was constructed in 1988 and was expanded in 2000. The expansive primary suite covers 1,600 square feet.

Messi joined Inter Miami in July to much fanfare and has since helped the team to eight victories and four draws. The veteran Barcelona player brought home the World Cup trophy for his homeland Argentina last year. Messi will play in the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers this week, thus he will be flying to Bolivia.

Between $50 million and $60 million is invested in Messi’s contract with Inter Miami, in addition to club equity and revenue-sharing arrangements with Adidas, Apple, and other businesses.

Drive Pink Stadium and Inter Miami’s nearby training facility in Fort Lauderdale are both roughly 5 miles from Messi’s residence. The team anticipates moving to Miami someday, where its owners are planning Miami Freedom Park, a sizable mixed-use project that will feature a soccer stadium on the city-owned Melreese Country Club land just east of Miami International Airport. Jorge and José Mas, brothers and businessmen from Miami, as well as David Beckham and other partners, are the team’s owners.

Additionally, Messi has three condos in Sunny Isles Beach, one of which is a property at the Porsche Design Tower, which Gil Dezer’s Dezer Development finished in late 2016.