Forget the pink jerseys, Lionel Messi’s gravitational pull, and the vast cultural differences between Cincinnati and Miami. FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami, who face off tonight at TQL Stadium, aren’t so different.
First, their 2026 seasons so far have been marked by embarrassing lows. On March 18, Nashville secured a 1-1 draw in Miami to advance on the away goals rule in the Concacaf Champions Cup (CCC) Round of 16. Following a Leagues Cup crown in 2023 (over Nashville), a Supporters’ Shield triumph in 2024, and an MLS Cup title last winter, Miami had designs on winning the toughest club competition in North America this year.
Nashville exacted retribution for its Leagues Cup defeat instead, and a month later Miami skipper Javier Mascherano suddenly quit his post. Messi’s former club and national team teammate had already proved his coaching nous by making big personnel calls (i.e., benching Luis Suarez) and shepherding the Herons to a dominant postseason run. Despite the drama—which also includes star players ducking the media—Miami sit third in the East 12 matches into the league season, just two points behind Nashville.
A day after Miami’s CCC exit, FC Cincinnati one-upped them by completely disintegrating in a 5-1 loss to Tigres. A 3-0 first leg advantage went for naught. Head Coach Pat Noonan said his team looked “scared to play.” The Orange and Blue haven’t attained the same level of success as Miami post-embarrassment, but they’re unbeaten in six straight. The Lost Offense has been found; FCC is now the second-highest scoring team in the East (behind Miami).
The club’s similarities stretch back to last season, too. They finished level on 65 points, with FC Cincinnati getting the nod as the East’s No. 2 seed due to one more victory. Moreover, the club’s respective franchise-altering additions—Messi for Miami, Noonan and General Manager Chris Albright for FCC—have wrought sustained success. In addition to its trophy count, Miami has finished in the East’s top three in both of Messi’s full seasons.
Noonan and Albright took over ahead of the 2022 season, and the locals have since been to the playoffs in all four seasons, logged top-three East finishes each of the past three years, and won the 2023 Supporters’ Shield.
Miami and Cincinnati even spend (somewhat) similarly. Alright, fine, no one spends like Miami … but stick with me. According to 2026 salary data released on Tuesday, Miami’s ownership will pay nearly $55 million in player compensation in 2026. That’s $20 million more than second-place LAFC. FCC ranks seventh at $23.47 million, the highest among small- to mid-market franchises. In 2025, Miami ranked first and Cincinnati was fourth.
Strange soccer bedfellows, to be sure.
Messi’s brief history in Cincy
The GOAT scored once and dished out two assists in Miami’s 4-2 win in Toronto over the weekend, becoming the fastest player in league history to 100 regular-season goal contributions. The 38-year-old did it in just 64 matches.
Whether Messi will add to his total tonight is anyone’s guess. The Herons play again Sunday night at home vs. Portland. Last July, Messi played the full match in FC Cincinnati’s 3-0 victory in the West End four days after playing the full 90 at home vs. Nashville. Best guess: Messi doesn’t start but enters as a second-half substitute.
Messi’s other two appearances in the Queen City have ended in defeat (or worse) for the locals. There was the 4-0 trouncing to end FCC’s season last November. The 2023 U.S. Open Cup semifinal loss—which featured Messi’s game-tying assist in the dying moments to send the match to extra time—prevented Cincinnati from hosting its first-ever final. For those wondering, Messi did not suit up in FCC’s 6-1 win in July 2024.
Following tonight’s match, FC Cincinnati heads west for its first-ever meeting with San Diego on Saturday.
Grant Freking is in his eighth year of FC Cincinnati coverage for Cincinnati Magazine.
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