Messi mania has arrived.
The cheapest tickets for the global soccer icon’s debut with Inter Miami on July 21 have skyrocketed to more than $1,000 each on resale sites.
The global superstar’s camp announced Monday the he’ll begin his conquest of American soccer at Fort Lauderdale’s DRV Pink Stadium against popular Mexican side Cruz Azul on Friday, July 21.
That revelation sent ticket prices for the event through the stratosphere, with the cheapest ducats going for an eye-popping $1,065 on Seatgeek as of Tuesday morning.
Those wishing to get closer to who many consider the greatest soccer player of all time will have to shell out far more, with premium seats commanding over $10,000 apiece.
Before Messi joined Inter Miami, tickets to see the club play sold on resale sites for as little as $22 and tickets for most games bought from the club typically started at $35 and some VIP packages were as low as $49 according to Goal.com.
The hotly anticipated debut by Messi — who led Argentina to World Cup victory in 2022 — is expected to attract celebrities from far and wide.
Prices for his second scheduled match four days later against Atlanta FC also soared Tuesday, with the most affordable tickets going for more than $500 each.
With Messi driving unprecedented interest, Inter Miami’s DRV-PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale plans to add 3,000 seats to bring capacity up to 22,000.
Owner Jorge Mas told reporters Monday the club will also provide heightened security for Messi and his teammates for both home and away games.
“I cannot overemphasize the magnitude of this announcement,” Mas said. “Having the world’s greatest player here is something that is significant for our league, and for the football ecosystem in the United States.”
Mas, who urged his fellow MLS owners to “seize the moment” of Messi’s arrival, said a mere training session featuring the star and his Argentina national side in Miami last year set off unprecedented bedlam.
“As you may recall, Argentina trained in Miami before they flew over to Doha [Qatar, where the 2022 World Cup was played] where we had an opportunity to see some of the Messi mania at our doors on an everyday basis during practice,” he said. “So, we’re very prepared. We’ve been getting ready for this.”
Messi, 35, confirmed this month that he will join the Major League Soccer team once his current contract with France’s Paris Saint-Germain comes to an end.
The deal will be worth roughly $150 million in salary, signing bonus and a stake in the squad, according to a report from Sportico.
The Argentinian — who cemented his legacy with the World Cup triumph — spurned gigantic offers from his former team Barcelona and Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal to take his talents to South Beach.
Messi spent the bulk of his glittering career with the Spanish side, leading them to 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League wins, and seven Spanish Cups.
