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Fans react during a ribbon cutting event at Nu Stadium in Miami Freedom Park ahead of an MLS soccer match between Inter Miami CF and Austin FC at Nu Stadium in Miami Freedom Park on Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Miami, Florida,<\/p>\n
PHOTO BY AL DIAZ<\/p>\n
adiaz@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n
At long last, after a seemingly-endless hurdle-filled odyssey, Inter Miami owners David Beckham, Jorge and Jose Mas stood atop the dusty steps of Nu Stadium with a giant pair of scissors and cut a pink ribbon to officially open the team\u2019s $350 million new home as a sea of pink fans cheered, waved giant flags and banged drums.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is our gift to our city and to you,\u201d Jorge Mas said.<\/p>\n
A few hours later, the trio walked across the unblemished Bermudagrass pitch before the start of the game and made a beeline to the North stands to applaud \u201cLa Familia,\u201d the most rabid of Miami\u2019s fans. They stepped over the barricade, in tailored suits, and mingled with the soccer aficionados, thanking them for their undying support through the highs and lows, and countless rainstorms and lightning delays.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are finally home,\u201d was the theme of the day.<\/p>\n
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From left to right Inter Miami CF owners Jose Mas, Jorge Mas and David Beckham participate in a ribbon cutting event for Nu Stadium in Miami Freedom Park ahead of their team’s MLS match against Austin FC on Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Miami, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n
After six years playing in a temporary stadium in Fort Lauderdale, and 30 years after the Miami Fusion, the original local MLS team, also played in Fort Lauderdale, the MLS team with Miami in its name finally got to play in Miami.<\/p>\n
They settled for a 2-2 tie, with goals by Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, but that did not dampen the festive mood or the significance of the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I came to America and the MLS 20 years ago, my dream was to win championships, help raise the game of soccer that I love so much, and to build my own team,\u201d Beckham told the crowd just before kickoff. \u201cThirteen years ago, I announced Miami was my first choice. We had no name. We had no fans. We had no stadium. Today, I stand in our new home. We are champions of MLS. And, we have the best player in the history of the game playing in Miami. Dreams really can come true.\u201d<\/p>\n
There were questions, as late as Friday, whether the 26,700-seat stadium would be ready to host the historic occasion. The building did not yet have a temporary certificate of occupancy, and construction was still ongoing in and around the grounds.<\/p>\n
There were concerns about traffic gridlock around the airport and neighboring streets.<\/p>\n
But Mas assured skeptics that all would work out. He said the game against Austin FC would go on, as planned. And it did. The City of Miami granted Nu Stadium a limited event permit, which is limited to that day, with specific hours, restrictions and additional precautions.<\/p>\n
City spokesperson Helena Poleo said special event permits are common, and that the Ultra Music Festival used one.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt went down the wire, but they were confident that they were going to get that over the finish line,\u201d said MLS Commissioner Don Garber, who flew in from New York for the game. \u201cIt\u2019s still got some work to be done. Frankly, I was here a month or so ago, and boy, what\u2019s happened in the last 30 days is just remarkable. It\u2019s way further along than I expected it to be.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve learned a lesson that when people tell you that things are going to get done, sometimes you\u2019ve just got to trust them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Traffic flowed more smoothly than most expected, considering it was opening night at a new venue. Fans arrived several hours early and passed the time in the Fan Zone, awaiting the opening of the gates. The smell of arepas and choripan filled the air. Fans danced to Latin music blaring from the speakers. Some played dominoes.<\/p>\n
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Vincenzo Suarez, left, and Joan Carlos Wizel, center, dance and cheer as they wait to enter Nu Stadium in Miami Freedom Park before an MLS match between Inter Miami CF and Austin FC on Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Miami, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n
Garber marveled at it all.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew this club would have global aspirations and would look to sign some of the best players in the world and they\u2019ve shown all of us that they can do that, and then they\u2019ve done the unthinkable,\u201d Garber said. \u201cThis stadium is spectacular. It\u2019s breathtaking.\u201d<\/p>\n
He went on to praise Beckham and the Mas brothers for their determination and optimism.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis doesn\u2019t happen without David, Jorge and Jose, who have this almost indefatigable energy and courage,\u201d Garber said. \u201cI\u2019ve never met a group of guys that just refuse to take no for an answer, and they\u2019re so optimistic about our league, this club, and they were very optimistic about this stadium.\u201d<\/p>\n
Garber also thanked the local politicians for their support.<\/p>\n
After a half-hour opening ceremony, featuring a light show, fireworks and a stirring rending of the national anthem by Marc Anthony, the game began.<\/p>\n
Miami\u2019s starting lineup included goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, right back Ian Fray, center backs Micael and Maxi Falcon (back from injury), left back Noah Allen, midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, midfielder David Ayala, midfielder Telasco Segovia, winger Tadeo Allende, forward Mateo Silvetti, and Messi, the Argentine captain, whose imprint was all over Nu Stadium.<\/p>\n
All the festivities came to a halt in the sixth minute when Austin took the lead on a header by Guilherme Biro off a Facundo Torres corner kick.<\/p>\n
The crowd, which included Brazilian great Ronaldo, seemed stunned and deflated. This was not how the stadium housewarming party was supposed to go.<\/p>\n
But then Messi (who else?) came to the rescue. He headed in the equalizer in the 10th minute to get Miami right back into the game. The play began with Segovia, who got the ball into the path of Ian Fray, who raced it down and kept it in, and passed it directly to Messi\u2019s head.<\/p>\n
Nu Stadium erupted and the game remained knotted 1-1 at halftime.<\/p>\n
Austin struck again in the 53rd minute to go ahead 2-1 on a fast break that slipped through the Miami defense and left Jayden Nelson, a second-half sub, 1-on-1 with Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair. Nelson scored on a right-footed shot from the center of the box.<\/p>\n
Miami coach Javier Mascherano made two changes after that goal, putting in Yannick Bright for Ayala and replacing Allen with German Berterame, the $15 million striker still looking for his first Inter Miami goal.<\/p>\n
Desperate to tie the game, Mascherano brought in 39-year-old Uruguayan legend Luis Suarez in place of Segovia in the 73rd minute. La Familia kept drumming and chanting through the entire game, determined to help lift Messi and his teammates to victory.<\/p>\n
Suarez, nicknamed \u201cEl Pistoloero\u201d, proved he can still be dangerous. Eight minutes after entering the game, he gave Miami life with a tying goal, a left-footed shot from close range to the roof of the net. Berterame had redirected the ball toward Suarez with his head off a Silvetti corner kick.<\/p>\n
Suarez appeared to score the game-winner in the 90th minute, banging in a rebound off the post following a Messi free kick, but he was called offside.<\/p>\n
Mascherano praised the stadium workers and club staff for getting the building ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe stadium is spectacular, first-class and seeing it filled with people was amazing,\u201d he said. \u201cOn Thursday when we saw it there was still a lot or work to do, and we got here and a bunch of things had been done. What the staff and workers have done in this span of time has been incredible. They have been working day and night.\u201d<\/p>\n
As far as the game, Mascherano felt the team lacked intensity in the first half and gave away the early goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the second half we improved, raised its intensity, the subs played well, but we leave with an empty feeling because we had 18 chances to score, but in futbol you can\u2019t flip a switch on and off and we can\u2019t play the first half like we did,\u201d he said. \u201cWe feel bitter and sad. We took a step back from the game we had in New York.\u201d<\/p>\n
St. Clair added: \u201cThe atmosphere was definitely rocking and the crowd definitely pushed us to try to get that winner at the end. We were a little unlucky not to get the go-ahead goal…When you give up an early goal, that\u2019s not ideal, especially when you\u2019re talking about a stadium opener and you want to score the first goal. Even though it didn\u2019t start out as we wanted, we fought back in a positive way.\u201d<\/p>\n
This story was originally published April 4, 2026 at 8:57 PM.<\/p>\n