The 2025 Leagues Cup quarterfinals kick off in Florida with the clash that promises to be the most attractive of the round: Inter Miami, without Lionel Messi, hosting Tigres UANL.
The Mexican side finished third in the Liga MX table and now visits the Herons. Playing at home could be decisive for Inter Miami, just as it was in 2023, when they won their first title in club history—this very tournament—just days after Messi swapped Europe for Major League Soccer.
This will be just the second-ever meeting between Inter Miami and Tigres. Their first clash came in 2024, also in the Leagues Cup, when Tigres claimed a 2-1 victory over an Inter Miami side that did not have Messi available due to his injury in the Copa América final against Colombia.
Now, the stakes are higher with a spot in the semifinals on the line. The game will be played at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, the home of the Herons, on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
Match details and confirmed lineups
The ball will start rolling at 8:00 p.m. local time in Florida (6:00 p.m. in Mexico City and Monterrey). Both teams will field strong lineups, although Inter Miami will be without their biggest star, Lionel Messi, due to injury.
see also
Why isn’t Lionel Messi playing for Inter Miami against Tigres in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals?
- Inter Miami: Oscar Ustari; Ian Fray, Gonzalo Lujan, Maximiliano Falcon, Jordi Alba; Yannick Bright, Sergio Busquets, Rodrigo De Paul; Tadeo Allende, Luis Suarez, Telasco Segovia.
- Tigres: Nahuel Guzmán; Javier Aquino, Rómulo, Juan José Purata, Jesús Garza; Fernando Gorriarán, Juan Brunetta, Diego Lainez, Oziel Herrera, Ángel Correa; Nicolás Ibáñez.
No draws allowed: The Leagues Cup tiebreaker rule
One unique aspect of the Leagues Cup is its format. From the group stage onward, draws are not permitted. If a match ends tied after regulation, the game goes straight to a penalty shootout. In the group stage, this system awarded an extra point to the shootout winner.
see also
Leagues Cup 2025 TV schedule and streaming info for U.S. viewers
Now, with the tournament in its knockout rounds, the penalty shootout will serve as the ultimate decider to determine who advances, ensuring every game has a clear winner.
