{"id":1568,"date":"2026-05-25T19:38:59","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T19:38:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1568"},"modified":"2026-05-25T19:38:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T19:38:59","slug":"the-world-cup-is-coming-to-miami-heres-what-to-know-about-lionel-messis-adopted-home-area","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1568","title":{"rendered":"The World Cup is coming to Miami. Here’s what to know about Lionel Messi’s adopted home area"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FILE – In this Aug. 2, 2017, file photo, local residents and tourists enjoy a day at the beach in the South Beach area of Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo\/Alan Diaz, File)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. \u2014 Welcome to South Florida, home of the three-time NBA champion Miami Heat, two-time Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins, two-time World Series champion Miami Marlins and two-time Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.<\/p>

Read more Felix Rosenqvist is savoring a busy schedule as the spoils of victory from his Indianapolis 500 win<\/a><\/p>\n

Oh, and reigning MLS Cup champion Inter Miami. That means this World Cup<\/a> is coming to Lionel Messi\u2019s neighborhood.<\/p>\n

Messi<\/a> and defending champion Argentina aren\u2019t locks to play in Miami Gardens during this World Cup; if Argentina wins Group J, as many will likely expect, it would play the runner-up from Group H in a Round of 32 game on July 3.<\/p>\n

The only other possible pathway for Messi to play in South Florida during the World Cup is if Argentina loses a semifinal and ends up in the third-place match.<\/p>\n

Cristiano Ronaldo’<\/a> s team, however, is certain to have at least one match in Miami Gardens. Among the teams guaranteed to play in South Florida at some point in this World Cup: Scotland, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Cape Verde, Colombia and Portugal \u2014 Ronaldo\u2019s squad.<\/p>\n

That is a melting pot of teams, with Asia, Africa, South America and Europe all represented.<\/p>\n

By land and by sea, there are no shortage of ways to experience the sights and sounds of South Florida. A few key spots:<\/p>\n

\u2014 For art, Miami\u2019s Wynwood neighborhood is can\u2019t-miss. It even features some one-of-a-kind soccer balls<\/a> turned into artwork. Also, check out the Frost Science Museum \u2014 it\u2019s mind-blowingly good.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Can\u2019t miss the beaches. Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale Beach and countless places in between, they\u2019re all worth the trip.<\/p>\n

\u2014 To the south are the Florida Keys, which tend to take one back in time. Some spots like Key Largo are maybe an hour\u2019s drive from Miami; Key West is a few hours away, but is a place like none other.<\/p>

Read more UCLA earns No. 1 seed for NCAA baseball tournament ahead of offensive juggernaut Georgia Tech<\/a><\/p>\n

Whatever you want, South Florida\u2019s got.<\/p>\n

The Little Havana neighborhood of Miami is the heartbeat of the city\u2019s Cuban culture, with no shortage of places to get your fill of Ropa vieja and Cuban sandwiches. (Coffee lovers, if you\u2019ve never had Cuban coffee, it\u2019s a must. An acquired taste, sure, but go for it.)<\/p>\n

There\u2019s upscale dining everywhere, steaks, Italian, sushi, an old-timey diner on South Beach with omelets that could feed half a soccer team, street vendors, pop-up places, trendy, whatever you\u2019re looking for. Bring patience and plan ahead \u2014 these will be busy times in Miami, a city that has lots of everything, including traffic.<\/p>\n

A FIFA Fan Festival is planned at Miami\u2019s Bayfront Park, with up to 30,000 fans expected daily there to watch matches on giant screens and other programming inside a giant amphitheater. Another fan zone is planned on Miami Beach and some county parks are also lining up World Cup programming and celebrations.<\/p>\n

Be patient. Traffic is bad here when the World Cup isn\u2019t happening. It\u2019s even bad here when almost nothing is happening.<\/p>\n

A couple of good options to consider would be Freebee, an on-demand electric transportation service, and the Brightline trains that connect Miami with Palm Beach County and beyond.<\/p>\n

The good news is that the stadium\u2019s canopy roof provides at least some protection from sun and rain, especially the seats further back from the playing surface.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s Miami (Miami Gardens, technically, since the stadium is north of the actual city of Miami). It\u2019s going to be hot. It\u2019s going to be sunny. Drink tons of water. Wear sunblock. Wear a hat. Wear light-colored clothing.<\/p>\n

The stadium itself is easy to get around and the sound system and video boards are top-notch. But be prepared for a long, hot day or night.<\/p>

Read more Mexico\u2019s president sees \u2018no issue\u2019 with her country hosting Iran\u2019s World Cup team during tournament<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

AP soccer: https:\/\/apnews.com\/soccer<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome to South Florida, home of the three-time NBA champion Miami Heat, two-time Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins, two-time World Series champion Miami Marlins and two-time Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1566,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1568","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nThe World Cup is coming to Miami. 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