A crowd of 18,000 people is expected at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday as Inter Miami CF’s huge new signing Lionel Messi is unveiled at a special presentation — and you can watch the event live using our guide below.
The iconic Argentinian forward left French champions Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the 2022-23 season and has signed a highly lucrative deal with the American MLS side that’s set to run until 2025.
The move marks the first time the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will have played for a club outside of Europe.
Titled “The Unveil,” Inter Miami has promised that there’ll be an “exciting night of entertainment, on-the-pitch speeches and more” for the special event on Sunday evening.
Lionel Messi — The Unveil: Where and when is it?
This special event is set to take place at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, the home of Inter Miami on Sunday, July 16. The presentation is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT in the US and Canada, and at 1 a.m. BST in the UK and 10 a.m. AEST in Australia on Monday morning.
Is the event streaming for free?
Yes, Apple and the MLS are making the presentation available for free on the Apple TV app and at tv.apple.com.
When is Messi’s first training with Inter Miami?
Messi’s first training session with Inter Miami is set for Tuesday. It will also be streamed for free on Apple TV.
When is Messi’s first game?
Messi’s first game is expected to take place this Friday, July 21, at 8 p.m. ET, when Inter Miami host Mexico’s Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.
How can I watch Messi’s MLS games?
Famously the home of soccer comedy show Ted Lasso, Apple TV now has a 10-year deal with Major League Soccer and is the exclusive provider of every MLS game in the 2023 season through its MLS Season Pass.
Messi’s first game, and all of Inter Miami’s matches, will stream on Apple’s subscription service in the US and around the world. Some of these matches, including the first one, will require a subscription to MLS Season Pass in order to watch.
In the US, an MLS Season Pass subscription costs $13 a month or $79 for the season if you’re already a subscriber to the Apple TV Plus streaming service. If you don’t subscribe to Apple TV Plus, the MLS Season Pass costs $15 a month or $99 for the season. The service is not restricted to the US, with subscriptions available in over 100 countries, including Canada, Mexico, the UK and Australia. For prices outside of the US, check here.
Read more: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV: How to Watch Major League Soccer in 2023
You can watch the games on any device that has the Apple TV app, including TVs, phones, tablets and computers. This includes iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs and Macs, as well as smart TVs and streaming devices that run the Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Google TV platforms.
If you have a game console, there’s an Apple TV app for Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox Series S and X, and Sony’s PlayStation 4 and PS5. Recent TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio also have Apple TV apps. More details on supported devices can be found on Apple’s site.
Although Apple does not have Apple TV apps for Android phones and tablets or Windows computers, it does let you stream its shows, and MLS games, using a web browser by going to tv.apple.com.
How to watch Lionel Messi — The Unveil online from anywhere using a VPN
While MLS Season Pass is available in most parts of the world, there are some exceptions. If you find yourself in a country where you’re unable to view either service locally, you may need a different way to watch Messi’s unveiling — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream live sports events is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Australia, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
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Quick tips for streaming Lionel Messi — The Unveil using a VPN
- With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming this event live may vary.
- If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
- If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
- And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.