Lionel Messi has signed a contract extension with Inter Miami that will keep him in Major League Soccer until the end of the 2028 season, the club announced on Thursday, October 23.
In a video posted on Inter Miami’s X account, Messi was seen signing the new deal while seated at a table inside the under-construction Miami Freedom Park stadium, accompanied by the caption: “He’s Home.”
“It makes me really happy to stay here and to continue with this project that, besides being a dream, has become a beautiful reality, playing in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park,” Messi, 38, said in a club statement. “Since I arrived in Miami, I’ve been very happy, so I’m truly glad to keep going here.”
Club co-owner David Beckham described Messi’s extension as a testament to his “commitment to the city, to the club, to the game.” He said, “He’s still as committed as he’s ever been and he still wants to win. As owners to have a player that loves the game as much as he does, and who has done as much for the game in this country and to inspire the next generation of young talent as he has, we feel very lucky.”
Messi’s previous contract was due to expire at the end of the 2025 MLS season, and a renewal had long been expected after club sources confirmed last month that an agreement was in place.
The new deal ensures Messi will continue playing well beyond the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament kicks off on June 11 and concludes with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023 following a brief and difficult spell at Paris Saint-Germain. Before that, he spent nearly two decades at Barcelona, where he won 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies after coming through the club’s youth academy.
With Argentina, Messi has scored 114 international goals and won the World Cup in 2022, along with Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner could make history by playing in a sixth World Cup, potentially alongside long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo. He is also just three goals shy of Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 career World Cup goals.
Messi led Argentina to the top of the South American qualifiers for next year’s finals, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals.
In Major League Soccer, Messi’s impact has been transformative. He was named the league’s Most Valuable Player for 2024 despite Inter Miami’s playoff exit, and in 2025, he became the fastest player in MLS history to reach 40 goals.
This season, he guided Miami to a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference, capping the regular season with a hat-trick in a 5–2 win over Nashville SC to claim the MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals in 28 matches.
