Sporting Kansas City have announced they have moved their April 13 match vs Inter Miami and Lionel Messi to Arrowhead Stadium
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Inter Miami match vs SKC moved to NFL stadiumArrowhead stadium home of Chiefs + Kelce, Swift frequent attendeeMatch to be played in front of 76,000 WHAT HAPPENED?
Sporting Kansas City announced Monday afternoon that the match on April 13 will now be played at Arrowhead Stadium, in front of over 76,000 fans – compared to the 18,000+ of their normal venue, Children's Mercy Park. The club is anticipating Messi and the Herons to draw what would be a record crowd for a soccer match in the state.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT SPORTING KANSAS CITY SAID
“This match has generated an unprecedented amount of interest since Major League Soccer released our schedule less than three weeks ago,” said Sporting Kansas City President and CEO Jake Reid. “We believe this will be the biggest event in Kansas City this spring and we are proud to partner with Arrowhead Events to provide an incredible experience for our fans and our team. The opportunity to host this match, which is set to be Lionel Messi’s first MLS match in the Midwest, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is especially exciting as our region prepares to host Copa America matches this summer and FIFA World Cup matches in 2026.
“The Arrowhead Events team is excited to open up GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to host our friends from Sporting KC for their match against Inter Miami CF this spring,” Kansas City Chiefs and Arrowhead Events President Mark Donovan said. “The venue remains one of the top destinations and experiences for fans of all sports. The interest and demand for this match is extremely high, and we know that both clubs, their supporters, and viewers will enjoy experiencing this unique soccer match played at the home of the Chiefs.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Messi's draw in 2023 saw Hollywood A-listers and even the likes of Prince Harry himself come out of hiding to get a glimpse at the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner in action for the Herons. With SKC moving the match to the Chief's venue, there's a chance we see some of the biggest stars across the USA come out to watch the contest. It will be a highly-anticipated match, as Sporting are coming off of an incredible season that saw them thump the no. 1 overall seed in the MLS playoffs, St. Louis CITY SC, in the first round en-route to a Western Conference semi-finals appearance.
(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI AND SKC
The Herons' preseason begins on January 19 with a match against the El Salvador national team, while sporting begin their own preparation for the 2024 campaign in the coming weeks as well. New signing Luis Suarez will look to get integrated into the squad, before Inter Miami embarks on a 'world tour' ahead of the new season.