Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders clashed Sunday in the Leagues Cup final in a heated game with the trophy on the line. In yet another sign of Lionel Messi’s impact on North American soccer, the match set a new attendance record for the competition in a packed Lumen Field.
The Leagues Cup, founded in 2019, grew in stature after officially gaining FIFA recognition in 2023. Since then, the tournament has delivered some high-profile matchups between MLS and Liga MX clubs, drawing massive crowds across the continent. Still, no previous edition comes close to what unfolded in Seattle.
While the official number has yet to be confirmed, the game was a sellout, with more than 65,000 fans packing Lumen Field to watch Messi and Inter Miami take on the Sounders. With the stadium’s capacity listed at 68,740, overwhelming demand led organizers to open additional seating in the upper bowl.
The previous single-game Leagues Cup attendance record stood at 50,675, set on July 27, 2024, when the San Jose Earthquakes faced Chivas Guadalajara at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. With Messi on the pitch and a championship on the line, Sunday’s final has now set a new benchmark for the tournament’s history.
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