MLS 2024 schedule: When does Messi’s Inter Miami play against LAFC?
Los Angeles FC and Inter Miami will avoid each other in the 2024 Major League Soccer regular season, whose schedule was announced on Wednesday.
The teams will only face off in the North American league’s upcoming campaign if they both progress through the end-of-season playoffs to reach the MLS Cup final.
Why won’t LAFC and Inter Miami meet?
Under the current MLS format, teams play against every other club in their conference during the regular season, and are only given a handful of games against a side from the league’s other conference.
LAFC, who compete in the Western Conference, have been given out-of-conference match-ups against Nashville SC, New York Red Bulls, Atlanta United, Orlando City, Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati.
Inter Miami, who are in the East, will go up against Western Conference teams Colorado Rapids, Los Angeles Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, Sporting Kansas City, Vancouver Whitecaps and St Louis City.
Have LAFC, Inter Miami met in previous regular seasons?
Yes, three times. Last season, Inter Miami were 3-1 winners away to LAFC in September, thanks to goals by Facundo Farías, Jordi Alba and Leonardo Campana. The teams also played out cross-conference clashes in 2020 and 2022, LAFC securing 1-0 and 2-0 victories, respectively.
When does the 2024 MLS season start?
The 2024 MLS season will begin on Wednesday 21 February, with Inter Miami hosting Real Salt Lake in the campaign’s curtain-raiser at DRV PNK Stadium.
The Herons will be targeting a return to the MLS playoffs, having missed out in 2023 despite a late-season upturn in form following the July signing of eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
Meanwhile, all other MLS teams will play their opening game of the regular season on the weekend of 24/25 February.
LAFC, who were beaten finalists in 2023, will commence their bid to win the second MLS crown in their history when they welcome Seattle Sounders to BMO Stadium on Saturday 24th.
What is the MLS regular-season format?
Every team in MLS will play 34 regular-season games in 2024, with the top nine finishers in each conference qualifying for the playoffs.
In the 15-team Eastern Conference, clubs will come up against every other franchise in their conference twice, and play six additional games against Western Conference opposition.
In the West, which only has 14 teams, clubs will meet one or two intra-conference rivals on three occasions instead of two, and will face either six or seven out-of-conference games. In LAFC’s case, Steve Cherundolo’s men will take on fellow Western Conference clubs LA Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes three times each.
The West is set to increase to 15 teams when expansion franchise San Diego FC joins MLS in the 2025 season.
