The Bermudagrass pitch drew praise from coach Javier Mascherano and players, as did the locker room. The luxury lounges are ready. The two-story team store, largest in MLS, is stocked with pink merchandise. The concession stands will be open. The five-story parking garage is operational.<\/p>\n
Even the weather alert system was put to the test on Thursday, as rain and lightning interrupted the training session.<\/p>\n
\u201cA few days away from the opening, this is truly a dream come true,\u201d Mas said. \u201cThis stadium was born of a dream to create in my hometown a first-class stadium to celebrate futbol. I want Miami to be the capital of futbol with our club and our captain, Lionel Messi. It is an important day seeing fans and members of the media here for the first time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis project took years, but the construction has been fast and we delivered. We kept our word. All construction projects are complicated, but we will be able to open on Saturday. As you can see, everything is not finished. We will get there, put the final touches on, but we can see the potential of what we\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mas said he and his brother, Jose, \u201chave spent endless nights here,\u201d and acknowledged there is still much work to be done. A few sections of seats were scheduled to be installed on Thursday and Friday nights.<\/p>\n
The outside areas around the stadium remain a massive construction zone, with many cranes, cones, forklifts, trucks hauling heavy equipment and a crew of 1,300 workers in hard hats and day-glow vests toiling to have it as ready as possible. Giant palm trees lay on their sides waiting to be planted. Sidewalks and interior roads are still in the process of being paved.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot to do in the next 48 hours, but it\u2019s all being done to make this a great fan experience on Saturday,\u201d Mas said. \u201cObviously, the second game will be better, and the third and fourth as you grow into any new facility, the experiences will get smoother and better, but I\u2019m very, very happy with what\u2019s happened in the time period we\u2019ve had to complete the stadium.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Inter](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MIA_2026-04-02AD0888MiamiFreedomParkNuStadium.JPG\" "\\"MIA_2026-04-02AD0888MiamiFreedomParkNuStadium.JPG\\"")
Inter Miami CF Managing Owner and CEO Jorge Mas, co-owner David Beckham and Lionel Messi (10), seen left to right, arrive in the rain at the new 26,700-seat home for Inter Miami CF, in Miami, Florida, on Thursday, April 2, 2026. Nu Stadium is scheduled to open April 4, 2026. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n
Fans entering the stadium will be welcomed by large photos depicting the 2025 MLS Cup title run.<\/p>\n
Messi\u2019s presence is all over the stadium, from his No. 10 jersey and Funko Pop! collectible for sale at the team store to the designated \u201cLeo Messi Stand\u201d seating sections to Club de la Milanesa, one of the food concession stands co-owned by Messi and featuring his favorite dish, the Milanesa (thin, breaded breaded beef\/chicken\/veal cutlets).<\/p>\n
Messi participated in the first half of the training session on Thursday but was held out of the latter part because he just returned from national team duty in Argentina, Mascherano explained. He is expected to be ready for the game on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The game-day commute will be longer for most of the Inter Miami players and coaches, who reside in Broward County and will continue to train at the club\u2019s Fort Lauderdale practice facility. But they are excited about finally having a permanent, state-of-the-art home after six seasons at the temporary 21,000-seat Chase Stadium, previously DRV PNK Stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe field is perfect, the locker rooms and facilities for the team are impressive, and now it\u2019s time to start using the stadium, enjoy it and most of all inaugurate it the best way possible, with a victory,\u201d Mascherano said.<\/p>\n
Defender Noah Allen, who grew up in Pembroke Pines and came up through the Inter Miami youth academy, said it was \u201ca sick feeling\u201d stepping out of the tunnel into the new stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was unbelievable, the pitch was great; obviously, it\u2019s brand new so it\u2019s going to be perfect, and it was cool to see the setup, how closed it is, and I was envisioning fans being in there and being loud,\u201d he said. \u201cTo think how far the club has come is great to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
Midfielder Alexander Shaw, 17, grew up in Miami Lakes and joined the Inter Miami academy at U12. He signed his first professional contract with the club last month.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m living a dream, coming from the academy and being here so long,\u201d Shaw said. \u201cKnowing about Miami Freedom Park being built and visualizing it since I was young and to see it come to fruition was insane. This is our stadium. Look at our names on our lockers and this is all ours. This is our home and we have to protect it. I can\u2019t wait to start playing here.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Inter](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MIA_2026-04-02AD1868MiamiFreedomParkNuStadiumcopy.JPG\" "\\"MIA_2026-04-02AD1868MiamiFreedomParkNuStadiumcopy.JPG\\"")
Inter Miami CF fans Oscar Cifuentes and son Noah Cifuentes Toledano, 2, react as they arrive at Miami Freedom Park Nu Stadium to watch Inter Miami CF practice, in Miami, Florida, on Thursday, April 2, 2026. Miami Freedom Park is a privately funded, 131-acre, $1.3 billion development near Miami International Airport. It includes Nu Stadium, a 26,700-seat home for Inter Miami CF and scheduled to open April 4, 2026. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n
The stadium food options reflect Miami\u2019s diverse cultures. The concession stands include Coyo Taco, La Birra Bar, Mr. Choripan (Argentine sandwiches), Doggi\u2019s Arepas (Venezuelan arepas), Peppi\u2019s Cheesesteaks and Hoagies, Churromania and Dale Dog, Eat JRK (Jamaican specialties), Vice City Pie pizza, Caracas Bakery (Venezuelan pastries), Cielito Artisan Pops, Ola Gelato, Jackson Brothers Ice Cream, Italian Vice, and Dippin\u2019 Dots. For those looking for a coffee jolt, Caf\u00e9 Bustelo Ventanita.<\/p>\n
Fans who like to shop will have plenty of items to peruse at the 11,000 square-foot team store, including more than 40 footwear options in the adidas World section of the shop, a New Era hat wall with more than 140 hats and the Funko Experience, where fans can make a personalized collectible of themselves in Inter Miami gear.<\/p>\n
There will also be limited edition opening day merchandise commemorating the first game at Nu Stadium.<\/p>\n
Season-ticket members who showed up on Thursday, including many from the team\u2019s rabid supporter groups, were excited by what they saw and looked forward to making noise and banging drums on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, it\u2019s perfect because Inter Miami is playing in Miami, so it\u2019s great that they have their own stadium,\u201d said Eric Ramirez, a fan since the team\u2019s inaugural 2020 season. \u201cNu Stadium is beautiful. Once it\u2019s 100 percent complete, on the outside especially, it\u2019s going to be fantastic for all the fans. My first impression was that I was mind blown.\u201d<\/p>\n
This story was originally published April 2, 2026 at 4:04 PM.<\/p>\n
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