Sporting Kansas City and Inter Miami are scheduled to play their CONCACAF Champions Cup match on Wednesday night, despite extreme cold warnings. The temperature at kickoff (7 p.m.) is expected to be -9°F with wind chills dropping to -11°F—potentially making it the coldest match in Major League Soccer history.

Key Concerns:

• The Cold Weather Advisory warns of frostbite within 30 minutes of exposure.
• FIFPRO guidelines recommend canceling games below 5°F (-15°C) and wind chills below -16.6°F (-27°C).
• There are no official CONCACAF or FIFA rules on cold-weather cancellations.
• Snow led to a one-day postponement from Tuesday to Wednesday, but temperatures are expected to be even colder.

Will Messi Play?

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano insists that Lionel Messi is “100% available”, but skepticism remains. Miami’s same-day travel plans to Kansas City have fueled doubts about whether their star will take the field.

Why Can’t the Game Be Rescheduled Again?

• The second leg is set for next Tuesday, with tight scheduling limits.
• Miami could have hosted the first leg instead, but that option was reportedly dismissed.
• No response from Inter Miami or CONCACAF on why the switch didn’t happen.

Coldest Games on Record:

• Coldest MLS game: 18°F (Colorado, 2019).
• Coldest U.S. international game: 2°F (USA vs. Honduras, 2022).
• Coldest high-profile club game: 5°F (Colorado vs. Toronto, 2018).

Final Take:

Despite safety concerns, CONCACAF has no rule to halt the match. Barring last-minute changes, the game will be played in potentially record-breaking cold conditions—whether Messi takes the field remains the big question.