The 2025 Leagues Cup quarterfinals kick off in Florida with the clash that promises to be the most attractive of the round: Inter Miami, led by Lionel Messi, hosting Tigres UANL.
The Mexican side finished third in the Liga MX table and now visits the Herons, who just got Messi back from injury. The Argentine star returned in the previous match after being sidelined against Necaxa and will look to make the difference once again. Playing at home could be decisive for Inter Miami, just as it was in 2023, when they won their only title in club history—this very tournament—just days after Messi swapped Europe for Major League Soccer.
This will be just the second-ever meeting between Inter Miami and Tigres. Their first clash came in 2024, also in the Leagues Cup, when Tigres claimed a 2-1 victory over an Inter Miami side that did not have Messi available due to his injury in the Copa América final against Colombia.
Now, the stakes are higher with a spot in the semifinals on the line. The game will be played at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, the home of Messi and company, on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
Match details and probable lineups
The ball will start rolling at 8:00 p.m. local time in Florida (6:00 p.m. in Mexico City and Monterrey). Both teams are expected to field their strongest lineups:
- Inter Miami (probable XI): Oscar Ustari; Marcelo Weigandt, Gonzalo Luján, Maxi Falcón, Jordi Alba; Sergio Busquets, Yannick Bright, Rodrigo De Paul; Tadeo Allende, Luis Suárez, Lionel Messi.
- Tigres (probable XI): Nahuel Guzmán; Javier Aquino, Rómulo, Juan José Purata, Jesús Garza; Fernando Gorriarán, Juan Brunetta, Diego Lainez, Oziel Herrera, Ángel Correa; Nico Ibáñez.
No draws allowed: The Leagues Cup tiebreaker rule
One unique aspect of the Leagues Cup is its format. From the group stage onward, draws are not permitted. If a match ends tied after regulation, the game goes straight to a penalty shootout. In the group stage, this system awarded an extra point to the shootout winner.
Now, with the tournament in its knockout rounds, the penalty shootout will serve as the ultimate decider to determine who advances, ensuring every game has a clear winner.