Messi’s historic MLS playoff debut will stream free: Here's how to watch

Watching Lionel Messi play is more than just watching any game. It's a chance to see a living legend in action. Messi known as one of the most famous soccer players in the "universe" has the skills and vision to make any match worth watching. Today, the Argentine footballer is making his historic MLS Cup Playoffs debut.

The highly anticipated match will see Inter Miami face off against Atlanta United in an intense best-of-three first-round series, kicking off this Friday, October 25, at 8:30 pm EDT. With expectations running high, fans are eager to see how Messi and his team perform in this pivotal showdown.

Since joining Inter Miami CF last season, Messi has helped the team secure the Supporters' Shield, and earlier this month he set a new single-season points record. Now, the athlete is going for another big milestone achievement, his 47th trophy. 

Emphasizing that now is the most pivotal and exciting time to watch MLS games, Sammy Sadovnik, MLS Season Pass’s Spanish-language play-by-play announcer, said "Following 38 matchdays of fantastic regular-season soccer, we’re coming to the most beautiful time of the season.”  

The announcer also commented, “Miami’s success will depend on both their ability to maintain the consistency they’ve displayed in the regular season and the talents of Leo Messi, the best player in the world.”

Stream Messi’s Playoff Game with Inter Miami Free on Apple TV+

Soccer fans worldwide who missed past season games have a chance to catch Lionel Messi’s historic and exciting match today, Friday, October 25th. This game will be available to stream for free on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV+, Apple’s official website, Apple Stores worldwide, and TikTok. Apple TV+ subscribers can also enjoy all remaining playoff matches at no extra cost. This is a unique opportunity to watch "La Pulga" in action in the first round of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Regarding why Apple decided to stream this for free, Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, commented, "We’re offering Friday’s match to fans worldwide on MLS Season Pass at no cost to celebrate an amazing season and Messi’s first-ever appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs." 

He also said "This is a historic moment, and we’re thrilled that viewers have such an extensive array of ways to watch.”

In addition to broadcasting free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, Friday night’s match will also stream live on apple.com and in Apple Store locations across the world, including Apple Fifth Avenue in New York City, Apple Union Square in San Francisco, and Apple The Grove in Los Angeles, in addition to Apple Store locations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Korea, and Mexico.

Fans on TikTok can enjoy a special “Player Spotlight: Messi” presentation of Friday’s match where the camera will be trained on Messi as he lights up the pitch. The stream will broadcast live on the @MLS TikTok profile and be simulcast on the @InterMiamiCF TikTok profile, beginning five minutes before kickoff. This will mark the first time TikTok has streamed an entire live soccer match with a single-player focus. Fans can register on TikTok to stream the live event.