Inter Miami welcome New York City FC to Chase Stadium on Saturday night for a high-profile matchup to crown an Eastern Conference champion and determine which team advances to MLS Cup.
Miami comes off a dominant 4–0 win over FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference semifinal and is in its first-ever Conference final. Meanwhile, they come up against an NYCFC side riding high after knocking out the Supporters’ Shield-winning Philadelphia Union with a 1–0 result in their Eastern Conference semifinal clash.
The winner of Saturday’s matchup earns a spot in MLS Cup on Dec. 6 against the winner of the Western Conference, which pits San Diego FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC against each other later on Saturday.
Inter Miami are playing the best soccer they have since Lionel Messi joined the team and are the heavy favorites of the four remaining teams in the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs. Yet, they will need to navigate past New York City FC first to earn that honor––and if they do, they’d welcome the final showdown to their home turf as well.
If Miami do not win MLS Cup, it would make 2025 just the second year in Messi’s career not to win a team trophy. At the same time, there’s an added intensity to their approach with the looming retirement of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who have been among the team’s best performers in the playoff run so far.
Fans should expect a very similar, if not identical lineup to that one that played against Cincinnati, with the only potential change being Ian Fray returning to the starting right back role, after Marcelo Weigandt played there against Cincinnati, due to Fray’s slight injury while representing Jamaica.
So far, it has been a playoffs where Javier Mascherano has notably grown as a manager. Although the adjustment to not start a struggling and immobile Luis Suárez was initially forced due to suspension, he stuck with 19-year-old Mateo Silvetti up top last match, and it paid off.
Look for Messi to be relied upon once again and to build on his six goals and six assisi in four matches so far. He should be able to continue playing through the lines, primarily targeting Silvetti and Tadeo Allende as well.
