InterMiami CF will start the 2025 pre-season with a friendly match LigaMX Giants America on January 18 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“We are looking forward to a hard-fought and exciting match that will benefit both clubs as we grow and inspire our fans around the world,” said Santiago Baños, América sports president.
Inter Miami comes into the match having won the 2024 Major League Soccer Supporters’ Shield and setting the league record for most points in a single season (74), while América can enter the pre-season as three-time consecutive Liga MX champions.
The Mexican team won the Apertura 2023 and Clausura 2024 tournaments, and then on Sunday evening they faced CF Monterrey in the rematch of the Apertura 2024 final.
In addition to the pre-season friendly, the two teams could potentially face each other after qualifying in the 2025 edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup.
The match played on January 18 will be the managerial debut of new head coach Javier Mascherano, who replaced Gerardo Martino after the team’s elimination from the MLS Cup 2024 playoffs.
Inter Miami also announced a friendly match against Orlando City on February 14 in Tampa, Florida. Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas confirmed that the team will go on a pre-season tour while taking the necessary precautions to protect players from injury.
Mas added that the Herons had learned from previous mistakes during their 2023 tour, as they flew around the world to play Hong Kong, Japan, El Salvador AND Saudi Arabia.
