Some Tickets for Messi's US Debut Have Eye-Popping Price

Soccer superstar Lionel Messi's US debut is planned for Friday, when he'll play his first match for Inter Miami, the Major League Soccer team he recently stunned the world by signing with. And to say it's a hot ticket is a bit of an understatement: A search on ticket reselling website Vivid Seats revealed tickets to the match are priced as high as $110,000, CNN reports. However, the average price of a ticket is $487, meaning much lower-priced options are available. The game is against Mexican team Cruz Azul as part of the Leagues Cup; Messi will make his debut in an MLS game on Aug. 20 against Charlotte. Tickets for that match have surged 900% since speculation began in June that Messi was headed to the US, and the average price is currently $288.

Inter Miami, led by David Beckham, is ranked last in the Eastern Conference, but ticket prices for all of its matches similarly surged as much as 700% after the Messi speculation started, Vivid Seats says. People are also planning to travel as far as 700 miles to come to his debut game Friday. "I'm very much moved to be here in Miami, to be with you," Messi said Sunday when he was officially introduced as an Inter Miami player, per Fox News. "I want to thank you, all of you, on behalf of my family, for the kindness that you have given me." (More Lionel Messi stories.)