Lionel Messi's long-awaited unveiling as an Inter Miami player promises to be a landmark event in MLS history, with the ceremony reportedly set to be televised.
The Argentine icon's arrival stateside is expected to be completed imminently after he confirmed his intention to move to South Beach last month, snubbing former club Barcelona and the Saudi Pro League in the process. The MLS summer transfer window officially opened on July 5 but the World Cup winner is still yet to make an appearance in Florida.
As anticipation builds, plans are now in discussion between the US league, CONCACAF, Fox and Univision, which could see a portion of the presentation broadcast during the Gold Cup final.
CONCACAF's showpiece event will take place at the same time at SoFi Stadium in California, and the USMNT is currently vying to reach the decider, with a last four clash against Panama in the diary.
Given the clash, It could well be the case that the milestone event at DRV PNK Stadium could be shown to the wider public at half time of the final, with fellow blockbuster new signings Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba possibly featuring also.
The grand ceremony — which has been dubbed "The Unveil" — will begin at 8pm ET on Sunday (1am BST on Monday) and has been billed to include "exciting entertainment, speeches on the pitch and more” ahead of a potential debut on July 21.
So far Inter Miami has been pretty coy about arrangements surrounding the transfer and, despite tacit hints having been given regarding Messi's expected arrival, no official announcement has yet been made.
Herons merchandise and posters depicting Messi in the franchise's pale pink jersey were spotted adorning an Adidas store in New York City's SoHo district last week. On top of this, a stunning mural showing the 36-year-old superstar has been unveiled in the Sunshine State city.
Club co-owner David Beckham having even applied some of the finishing touches to the design in recent days. In an Instagram post, the former Manchester United star's wife Victoria even shared a video of man on a crane picker painting the mural.
A rock-star reception is expected for Messi in the coming months, with tickets to see the 36-year-old in action having already sold out within minutes of the emergence of reports that he will be heading to MLS. Second-hand seats for fixtures have also gone on the market on StubHub for staggering amounts as high as $20k.
With the World Cup set to take place in the US along with Canada and Mexico in 2026, the arrival of the departing Paris Saint-Germain ace could prove to be a pivotal catalyst in improving the popularity of the sport in the country.
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas also believes that Messi's transfer could well prove transformative for MLS and beyond. He previously told El Pais.
"Selling him on the idea of soccer in the United States was the most important task. This is the biggest commercial market on the planet. Messi can turn the MLS into one of the top two or three leagues in the world."
