Lionel Messi’s arrival in the U.S. didn’t just change Major League Soccer, it flipped the script on global soccer economics. Now, FIFA is cashing in with the 2025 Club World Cup.
Among the most controversial storylines heading into the revamped FIFA Club World Cup is the inclusion of Inter Miami, a team that didn’t win the MLS Cup, nor the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Why are Inter Miami playing in the FIFA Club World Cup?
Instead, the club was handpicked as a host, raising eyebrows and accusations of favoritism. FIFA’s justification? Inter Miami’s regular-season performance in the MLS - they won the Supporters’ Shield - was apparently enough to make the cut.
But let’s not kid ourselves: Messi is the real reason Miami made the guest list.
Messi’s Miami move provokes commercial boom
Since the Argentine legend touched down in South Florida, the commercial boom has been impossible to ignore. While the numbers aren’t officially public, estimates suggest MLS sponsorship revenue shot up by 10% in 2024, largely due to Messi’s presence. Of the 36 current league sponsors, a staggering 80% only signed on after Messi’s move was confirmed. Altogether, MLS and its clubs are now pulling in close to $800 million annually in sponsorship deals - numbers that would’ve been unthinkable without Leo.
Two giants - Adidas and Apple - have been at the forefront of the Messi movement. Adidas, which has partnered with MLS since the late 1990s and outfits all 30 franchises, pushed hard behind the scenes to bring their global icon to America. Their most recent deal with MLS, inked after Messi’s arrival, runs through 2030 and is reportedly worth $830 million. It’s no coincidence.
The data backs it up: Messi’s Inter Miami jersey was the best-selling Adidas soccer shirt in the world last year. Within 48 hours of his signing, 700,000 jerseys flew off shelves, with another 500,000 orders pending. That alone gave MLS merchandise sales a 17% boost.
MLS set to copy NFL
Apple’s role goes even deeper. The tech giant secured MLS broadcast rights in a landmark 10-year deal (2023–2033) worth around $265 million. That agreement helped fund Messi’s signing, with the Argentine earning a cut of subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+. The results? Record-breaking streaming numbers for the league and a massive leap in global visibility. Next on Apple’s agenda: launching an NFL-style “Sunday Night Soccer show," complete with Messi-centric coverage and big-name sponsors.
It’s all working. In 2024 alone, MLS franchise values rose by 6%, and five teams are now worth over $1 billion. FIFA knows exactly what’s driving the surge: Messi. That’s why he’ll take center stage this Saturday - not just as the sport’s greatest ambassador, but as the face of a tournament increasingly shaped by star power and commercial appeal.