Inter Miami CF secured its place in the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs, the elimination stage of Major League Soccer in North America, with a 2-0 home victory over New York City FC on Wednesday (14) at Nu Stadium in Miami, United States. The result lifted the Florida club to 52 points in second place in the Eastern Conference standings, locking in a third straight postseason appearance and the fifth playoff berth in franchise history.
Argentine forward Lionel Messi played a direct role in both first-half goals that decided the contest. In the 20th minute, he combined in the buildup with midfielder Rodrigo De Paul before finding forward Luis Suárez, who delivered the final pass for Mexican international forward Germán Berterame to open the scoring against goalkeeper Matt Freese and record his eighth goal of the league campaign.
Five minutes into first-half stoppage time, at the 50th-minute mark, Berterame led a fast break and moved the ball to Messi, who set up Rodrigo De Paul to double the advantage for the home side. In the final minute of the second half, Inter Miami CF goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair stopped a penalty kick taken by New York City FC midfielder Nicolás Fernández Mercau, finishing the night with four saves and securing a second consecutive shutout for his team.
Eastern Conference standings and statistical leaders under Cristian ‘Kily’ González
Beating the squad led by head coach Pascal Jansen extended the recent surge for the Miami club under new head coach Cristian ‘Kily’ González, who took over the bench on September 16, 2026. The midweek triumph gave Inter Miami CF back-to-back regular-season wins for the first time since July 2026. Prior to defeating New York City FC, which remained on 33 points in the Eastern Conference table, the team routed D.C. United 4-0 on Saturday (10) behind goals from Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez.
With five matches remaining on the regular-season schedule, Inter Miami CF holds a record of 14 wins, 10 draws and 5 losses. Across the 2026 campaign, Messi leads Major League Soccer with 37 goal contributions, consisting of 23 goals and 14 assists, as he pursues a second consecutive Golden Boot presented by Audi and a third straight Landon Donovan MLS MVP award. Suárez ranks as the club’s second-highest scorer with 15 goals and 10 assists, Rodrigo De Paul has registered 14 assists alongside Brazilian midfielder Casemiro in the middle of the pitch, and Berterame has tallied 8 goals and 8 assists.
Keep reading: Lionel Messi caps 208-match Argentina career with goal and two assists against Benin
The roster is defending the league crown captured in 2025, when the club defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps to claim its first MLS Cup title, one season after suffering a first-round elimination against Atlanta United in 2024 following a 2023 campaign in which it missed the postseason. The organization now aims to become the first back-to-back MLS Cup champion since the LA Galaxy won consecutive titles in the 2011 and 2012 seasons. In mid-September 2026, the squad already added international silverware by defeating Mexican club Cruz Azul 2-0 to lift the Michelob ULTRA Campeones Cup.
Postseason ticket rules for Season Ticket Members and $45 packages at Nu Stadium
Through an official statement released on October 14, 2026, Inter Miami CF management outlined the ticketing procedures for the first postseason matches ever hosted at Nu Stadium. Current Season Ticket Members will receive access to purchase their regular seats at a discounted rate for all home playoff games, excluding the MLS Cup final, which is operated directly by Major League Soccer and is not part of the club’s playoff bundle.
Over the coming weeks, the club will send an email to season-ticket holders detailing the official Opt-Out window, for which exact dates have not yet been announced. Members who do not wish to commit to purchasing tickets for every potential home playoff game in Miami must submit their refusal before the deadline specified in that message, an action that releases their seats for sale to the general public. Credit cards on file for participating members will only be charged once each individual home match at the stadium is 100% confirmed.
For supporters who do not currently hold season passes and want priority access to buy tickets for the 2026 postseason, the club has opened sales for 2027 MLS Sprint Season Tickets. Those packages for the upcoming campaign are available with starting prices as low as $45 per match.
Learn more: Lionel Messi concludes international career with Argentina in sold-out Buenos Aires friendly against Benin
MLS Cup Playoffs format and full schedule through December 18
Under league competition rules, clubs finishing between first and seventh place in both the Eastern and Western Conferences advance directly to the Round One Best-of-3 Series. Teams placing eighth and ninth in each conference face off in a single-elimination Wild Card match, while the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals and title match are contested as single-game knockout ties broadcast on Apple TV.
Inter Miami CF returns to regular-season action on Saturday (17) with a road match against Atlanta United, on the same day that New York City FC hosts LAFC. Following the conclusion of the regular season, the league schedule proceeds through the final rounds of the year:
- November 7, 2026: Decision Day, the final round of the MLS regular season.
- November 18, 2026: Single-elimination Wild Card matches between the eighth and ninth seeds.
- November 20 to December 2, 2026: Round One Best-of-3 Series involving the top seven seeds from each conference.
- December 5 and December 6, 2026: Single-match Conference Semifinals.
- December 11 and December 12, 2026: Single-match Conference Finals.
- December 18, 2026: MLS Cup presented by Audi final.
