Following a year in which Inter Miami lifted the most important piece of silverware in club history, they will aim to become the second Major League Soccer team this century to win the Concacaf Champions Cup in 2026.
Inter Miami ended a dream 2025 with their maiden MLS Cup title. Lionel Messi carved his name in MLS history in golden letters as Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets bid farewell to the sport with one final piece of silverware.
But as one chapter closes, another one begins and Miami will be eager for more success come 2026. Miami already know their 2026 MLS schedule, but recently, Javier Mascherano’s side also learned their journey through the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Miami have stumbled out of the competition in the quarterfinals and semifinals over the past two seasons and the clear objective is to finally achieve continental glory next year.
The Herons’ recent MLS Cup triumph granted them direct passage to the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16. Following the tournament’s draw, the bracket was revealed and Miami now know a potential route towards becoming monarchs of the region.
Here’s Messi and Miami’s path to the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup final as they aim to complete perhaps the most ambitious objective since the foundation of the club.
2026 Concacaf Champions Cup: Full Bracket
As MLS Cup champions, Miami will skip round one of the Concacaf Champions Cup, automatically placed in the round of 16.
Miami’s round-of-16 tie won’t take place until the second week of March, giving Mascherano and Co. plenty of time to prepare for their continental journey.
The tournament goes straight into the knockout rounds from the moment it starts, with every matchup being a two-legged home and away affair up until the single-game final.
Miami were positioned on the upper-right part of the bracket and will face the winner of the round one matchup between Canadian outfit Ottawa and Nashville SC. Everything points towards the Herons facing a familiar foe to begin their road to the final.
Inter Miami’s Road to 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Final
Round of 16
Nashville SC are the overwhelming favorites to advance past Ottawa in round one, earning a continental bout against Messi’s Herons.
Miami eliminated Nashville in round one of the MLS Cup playoffs on their route to the 2025 title and defeated them in four of the five games they played throughout the year. Furthermore, the Herons eliminated Nashville in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16, so they’ll aim for a repeat in 2026.
Messi, in particular, has enjoyed tremendous success against Nashville, registering 15 goals and four assists in the 10 games he’s played against them since joining Miami.
Quarterfinal
Should Miami make it past the round of 16, then a mouthwatering clash against Club América, the winningest club in Concacaf Champions Cup history, are their likeliest quarterfinal rival.
América boast seven continental triumphs and their 16 Liga MX championships are the most of any team in Mexican soccer. Las Águilas are a historic North American powerhouse and they recently enjoyed an unprecedented period of dominance, winning three consecutive Liga MX titles.
If América fail to qualify for the quarterfinal, then reigning Supporters’ Shield holders Philadelphia Union would emerge as Miami’s most likely opponent.
Semifinal
If Miami make it to the semifinal for the second season in a row, then Concacaf’s club rankings suggest Liga MX side Tigres would be their most conceivable opponent.
The Herons defeated Tigres in the 2025 Leagues Cup, but rarely have MLS sides experienced success when they must travel to Mexican soil in two-legged Concacaf Champions Cup knockout ties, as they found out in the 2024 quarterfinal vs. Monterrey.
If that prospect isn’t daunting enough, Tigres could enter the tournament as reigning Liga MX champions, having found an extra gear in the second semester of 2025. Led by 2022 World Cup champion Ángel Correa, Messi and Co. would have to be at their absolute best to defeat one of the most successful Liga MX teams of the past decade.
If Tigres fail to live up to their ranking, then a thrilling rematch of the 2025 MLS Cup final against the Vancouver Whitecaps would be a must-see affair. Although Miami triumphed in the most recent final, it was Vancouver who eliminated the Herons in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal.
Final
Should Miami make their deepest run on competition history and make the May 30 final, then Toluca—the best Liga MX team of the past year—emerges as the most probable finalist from the other side of the bracket.
Antonio Mohamed’s side could enter the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup as back-to-back Liga MX champions and are currently the highest ranked club in the region. Toluca have built a formidable side and will certainly be one of, if not the, biggest favorite to win the tournament.
Reigning champions Cruz Azul are another possible foe in the final. Cruz Azul destroyed Vancouver to win the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, going level with América as the two most successful sides in tournament history.
Regardless of these potential rivals, it’s likely Miami would have to face one of the two North American teams ranked above them to achieve continental glory. Furthermore, Messi and Co. would have to become just the second MLS team to beat a Liga MX side in the final this century, with 18 of the past 19 champions coming from Mexico’s top flight.
It’ll take a monumental effort for Miami to claim their first ever Concacaf Champions Cup in 2026, but as they’ve proven since Messi’s arrival, no trophy is impossible to conquer for the men in pink.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lionel Messi, Inter Miami’s Route to 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Final.