Jorge Mas, Inter Miami owner, speaks to the press during a discussion to celebrate the relationship between FIFA and Miami Dade College and the role of soccer in Miami and across United States on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at Miami Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College in Miami. Andrew Uloza / for Miami Herald
Andrew Uloza
for Miami Herald
Construction of Miami Freedom Park, the new 25,000 Inter Miami home stadium, is on schedule, according to club managing owner Jorge Mas. He was beaming as he shared details with reporters on Wednesday.
A crew of 1,300 workers is on site daily. The natural turf field is growing on a farm in Palm Beach and will begin to be laid down in the next few weeks. The seats, which are pink, black, gray and white, are being installed. The East Club lounge is nearly completed. Parking lots are well underway.
The opening game will be April 4 at 7:30 p.m. against Austin FC.
“We’re kicking off April 4; it’s going to be an amazing day,” Mas declared after participating in a FIFA panel at Miami Freedom Tower on the impact of soccer in Miami. “It’s a mad rush. The stadium will be ready; as close to 100 percent as a new stadium can be without rehearsals.
“I want to make an amazing fan experience. If there are some details left to do, they won’t be able to see them, paint and some finishes, but it will be fine. The stadium will be in optimal condition.”
He promised “a very pleasant” arrival and exit to the stadium and “a great product on the field.”
“By the way, the stadium is stunning,” he said. “It’s absolutely beautiful. Each day that passes you can sort of envision and visualize what we want it to be. Through the course of the first few months we’ll get all the kinks out.”
Xavier Asensi, Inter Miami’s President of Business Operations, echoed Mas’ optimism in a recent interview with the Miami Herald.
“The first game will happen on April 4,” he said. “There will be seats. There will be grass. There will be concessions, lights, speakers, two goals, four corner flags, don’t worry.”
Asensi said while the club has enjoyed playing in Fort Lauderdale the past six years, having a permanent home in the heart of Miami will vault the club to new heights.
“We have been waiting to be able to be in Miami-Dade, in 305,” he said. “Having a permanent home is like a before and after for our club. Day and night. We finally will have a place we can call our true home.”
Mas confirmed that the club is in conversation with England’s national team about holding a pre-World Cup warmup match in early June at Miami Freedom Park. Inter Miami’s co-owner happens to be English legend David Beckham.
TEG Sport and the Football Association announced two weeks ago that The Three Lions will play New Zealand and Costa Rica during a preparation camp in South Florida. Thomas Tuchel’s team face the All Whites on Saturday June 6 before taking on Los Ticos on June 10.
An announcement about the match venues is expected soon.
An Inter Miami club source confirmed to the Miami Herald that Miami Freedom Park will host at least one pre-World Cup friendly but would not confirm whether that match will include England.
The Inter Miami training grounds in Fort Lauderdale might also be used as a Match Day-Minus One practice facility for World Cup teams playing games at Hard Rock Stadium. Teams with group stage games in Miami include Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Scotland, Cape Verde, Colombia and Portugal.
“There have been conversations with England,” Mas said. “I know they’re planning their pre-World Cup friendlies and we are in conversations with them, so we’ll see where that ends up. Nothing’s finalized.”
He added that he expects Inter Miami facilities to be utilized during the World Cup.
“Our city being involved is already amazing and we have multiple facilities, our training facility in Fort Lauderdale and our stadium here,” he said. “It’s going to be used. It’s going to be busy. It’s going to be a showcase and used during the World Cup, our grounds and our stadium. Miami Freedom Park is going to be an amazing asset for our community, our fans and our team.”
Mas said he never imagined, when Inter Miami launched its first season seven years ago, that it would sign Lionel Messi, win an MLS Cup title and be on the verge of opening a $350 million stadium.
“Seven years ago, we were sitting in a conference room in our office with a blank board and sort of saying, `What do we do next?’’’ he said, smiling. “To today, a club that has global visibility. We’re the best-selling jersey on the planet. We have the world’s best player here. We’re the MLS Cup champions. We have the World Cup in our city. We live in the best city in the world. I mean, things can’t get better. It’s a pinch me moment.”
Earlier, during the panel, Mas spoke about the personal significance of having Miami Dade College and FIFA museum housed at Miami Freedom Tower.
“For me, this is a very special moment, personally, what it means to me and my family and the Cuban American community,” he said. “This is akin to Ellis Island. My mother came through here when she arrived from Cuba with nothing but hopes and dreams of returning to her homeland. She ended up building a beautiful family and is our matriarch.”
He recalled driving past the Freedom Tower in 1997 and lamenting that it was in disrepair.
“And it is in honor and a tribute to my father and the generation that came to Miami and built this future for us to restore it to what it deserves to be,” he said. “This is exactly what I dreamed this tower be able to represent, the beautiful cultural mosaic that is South Florida and educating young men and women who are our future.”
This story was originally published February 25, 2026 at 6:41 PM.
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Miami Herald sportswriter Michelle Kaufman has covered 14 Olympics, six World Cups, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, NCAA Basketball Tournaments, NBA Playoffs, Super Bowls and has been the soccer writer and University of Miami basketball beat writer for 25 years. She was born in Frederick, Md., and grew up in Miami.