Inter Miami Are Heading to the Club World Cup – But Do They Deserve to Be There?

by Nathan Henley

Inter Miami lift the MLS Supporters' Shield (The Express Tribune)

Inter Miami will represent the host nation at this summer’s expanded FIFA Club World Cup. But with no MLS Cup to their name and an early playoff exit still fresh in the memory, their inclusion raises an uncomfortable question: is this a reward for sporting merit, or simply for having Lionel Messi?

It was a record-breaking regular season for the South Florida club. After Messi’s high-profile arrival in July 2023, which surged Inter Miami from one of the worst teams in the league to ultimately securing the Supporters’ Shield in 2024, awarded to the team with the best regular-season record across both MLS conferences. They were, by most metrics, the league’s best side heading into the postseason.

But in a league where success is ultimately measured by playoff performance, the narrative quickly turned. Inter Miami were eliminated at the first hurdle, losing a best-of-three series to Atlanta United. They took the opening game as expected, but Atlanta, who had finished ninth in the Eastern Conference, responded with two consecutive victories to knock out the tournament favourites.

Inter Miami were formally confirmed as the Club World Cup representatives for the host nation, a decision that had effectively been made before the playoffs began.

Had FIFA waited, LA Galaxy, winners of the 2024 MLS Cup and led by marquee signing Marco Reus, might have taken that place. Instead, the spot went to a side that fell short when it mattered most.

From a sporting perspective, the decision is odd. However, from a commercial perspective, it makes perfect sense. Lionel Messi’s presence alone ensures global attention. His arrival in MLS has transformed the league’s profile, with ticket prices soaring, matches moved to larger venues and international interest spiking. When Messi failed to travel for a game in Texas, Houston Dynamo offered refunds. It’s no exaggeration to say he brings huge commercial value to not only the league but football interest in the US.

FIFA will also have been aware that, at the time of Miami’s selection, the Club World Cup had not yet secured any major broadcast deals. A few months later, a streaming agreement with DAZN was announced. Messi’s involvement likely helped that conversation along.

Speaking at the time of Miami’s confirmation, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “You have shown that in the United States, you are consistently the best club on the field of play.” It’s a comment that holds up over the regular season, but not when measured against the postseason standard MLS has always used to crown its champion. 

The newly expanded Club World Cup is intended to showcase elite clubs from every continent. FIFA’s gamble on a team that didn’t win its domestic title suggests another goal: global visibility. Inter Miami, despite its flaws on the pitch, is a powerhouse in that regard.

However, the decision raises larger questions about what this tournament aims to be. Is it a platform for football’s most successful clubs or simply its most marketable ones?

By choosing Miami, FIFA may have ensured a significant increase in global viewership. But for a tournament striving to be taken seriously in a crowded football calendar, this could come at a cost. If qualification is seen to be influenced by commercial pull rather than performance, it risks undermining the very legitimacy the revamped Club World Cup is trying to build.