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Lionel Messi is coming to Utah.
More than two years after the global icon joined Major League Soccer, Messi’s Inter Miami team is finally scheduled to play Real Salt Lake at America First Field. The game is scheduled for April 22, 2026.
“It is an honor ... to welcome the greatest soccer player in the world to Utah,” said Steve Miller, chairman and governor for Real Salt Lake. “Many of us recall iconic sports moments in our lifetimes. Watching the great Lionel Messi play in the heart of the Wasatch will be inspiring to fans, young players and our community at large.”
Real Salt Lake released its 2026 MLS schedule on Thursday.
Among the other notable names coming to Utah next season: Korean star Son Heung-min and LAFC visit on Sept. 5. Thomas Müller and the Vancouver Whitecaps play in Sandy on Sept. 19. And Mexican star Chucky Lozano’s San Diego FC is on the schedule for April 18.
Real Salt Lake announced that fans can visit RSL.com to access the club’s priority ticket waitlist for season tickets and four-game packages, including the Inter Miami match, starting at 8 p.m. MT.
“He’s the best player ever,” RSL rising star Zavier Gozo said. “I think it’s obviously exciting.
“It’s crazy to be even in the same category and in the same league and to be playing on the same field [with him].”