India, Oct. 24 -- Lionel Messi is not leaving Inter Miami anytime soon. The 38-year-old has agreed to stay with the club until the end of the 2028 MLS season. The timing fits perfectly. Inter Miami's new home, Miami Freedom Park, opens in 2026 - a 25,000-seat complex built as much for spectacle as for soccer. Messi's deal runs right through that debut, and the club hopes he will be the first to walk the team onto that pitch.

Messi said in a statement that staying in Miami "makes me really happy," describing the project as "a dream that's become a beautiful reality." He also spoke about the club's upcoming move to its new home at Miami Freedom Park, calling it "very special" both for the team and for fans waiting to fill the stadium.

The...