Concacaf Champions League

Inter Miami are in hot water with their own fans after Lionel Messi didn’t appear in the matchday squad for Thursday’s Concacaf Champions Cup home game vs. Cavalier. 

Inter Miami gave no indication or warning that Messi wouldn’t be available for the game until the lineup was released. This left fans outraged as they paid top dollar to see him play at Chase Stadium only to learn he wouldn’t be on the field.

The backlash online came in droves.

Fans react to Messi absence vs Cavalier

A spectacular Lionel Messi goal vs Sporting KC opened the scoring of Inter Miami’s 3-1 victory in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup on Tuesday. Miami won 4-1 on aggregate.

Messi got the home crowd at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on their feet in the 19th minute with a golazo from the top of the box. Luis Suarez found his former Barcelona teammate with a cross and Messi finished beautifully on the half volley.

Lionel Messi goal vs Sporting KC

MESSIIIIIIII

Inter Miami and Lionel Messi’s first competitive match of the 2025 season was one for the books. And, of course, autograph worthy.

The final whistle of Inter Miami CF’s Concacaf Champions Cup match against Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday night at Children's Mercy Park saw a referee ask Lionel Messi for his autograph, forcing Concacaf to put out a statement to confirm their disciplinary action against the official.

A Lionel Messi goal vs Sporting KC in single-digit temperatures proved to be the difference in Inter Miami’s 1-0 victory in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup matchup on Wednesday.

Rumors had circulated throughout the week that Messi wanted to avoid playing in the freezing weather. The gossip was only exacerbated after the game was pushed back from Tuesday to Wednesday due to inclement weather and snow.

The temperature at kickoff for Wednesday’s game was four degrees fahrenheit.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are set for a challenging and potentially historic encounter as they face Sporting Kansas City in the first round of the Concacaf Champions Cup — and not exactly for its exciting head-to-head entertainment potential. Get ready for snow, Messi.

Inter Miami and Sporting KC Concacaf Champions Cup match to be played under snow

According to reports, the match between Kansas City and Miami on Tuesday will be held under potentially freezing conditions, with the forecast predicting temperatures as low as 8 degrees Fahrenheit.

History was made on Thursday in the Concacaf Champions Cup as Cavalry FC stunned Liga MX giants Pumas 2-1 in a first leg upset. No team from the Canadian Premier League (CPL) had ever defeated a Mexican club before.

In fact, no CPL club had ever won a Concacaf Champions Cup game prior to Thursday night.

Cavalry secured the victory 450 miles away from their usual home ground as the temperatures in Calgary were too cold to host the game. Instead the game was played in Langford, British Columbia.

Cavalry vs Pumas highlights

Salomón Rondón recorded a brace to lead host CF Pachuca to a 3-0 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday in the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Pachuca defeat Columbus Crew in CONCACAF Champions Cup final

Rondon's goals in the 12th and 67th minutes sandwiched a 32nd-minute tally from Miguel Rodríguez against the reigning MLS Cup champions.

¡CAMPEONES!

The Crew are taking no chances ahead of their crucial final in Mexico.

The Columbus Crew will be playing against Liga MX’s CF Pachuca in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final on Saturday, the final decider of who will be the last CONCACAF team to qualify to next year’s inaugural 2025 Club World Cup. 

Goals from Aidan Morris and Diego Rossi on either side of halftime led the Columbus Crew to a 3-1 victory over Monterrey on Wednesday in Guadalupe, Mexico, giving the Crew a 5-2 aggregate win in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals.

Columbus, the reigning MLS Cup champion, opened the semifinal series with a 2-1 home victory on April 24.

The Crew advance to oppose another Mexican team, Pachuca, in the final on June 2. Pachuca beat Liga MX rival Club America 2-1 on Tuesday to cap a 3-2 semifinal victory.

Jacen Russell-Rowe contributed the winning goal and an assist as the host Columbus Crew earned a 2-1 victory over Monterrey on Wednesday in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal series.

The two-leg series will conclude on May 1 in Mexico.

Russell-Rowe headed home the winner in the 72nd minute after setting up Cucho Hernandez's goal in the 25th minute. Monterrey had pulled level on a goal from Maximiliano Meza in the 58th minute.