DC United draw historic crowd for Lionel Messi & Inter Miami visit | OneFootball

By Jaime Uribarri

Wherever Lionel Messi goes with Inter Miami CF, historic crowds tend to show up.

Messi and the Herons’ Matchday 3 visit to D.C. United drew 72,026 fans to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore for a new Black-and-Red home attendance record. 

Saturday’s memorable turnout topped D.C.’s previous home attendance record of 57,431 fans that witnessed the club’s 1997 MLS Cup triumph over the Colorado Rapids at RFK Stadium.

It also ranked as a top-10 all-time standalone crowd in Major League Soccer history.

United shipped to Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium - home of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens - to accommodate Messi & Co.’s visit. The Herons delivered as advertised, earning a 2-1 victory, with the legendary Argentine No. 10 scoring the game-winning goal.

Big crowds have been the norm for Inter Miami road games since Messi’s blockbuster 2023 arrival. The two-time reigning Landon Donovan MLS MVP helped draw 72,610 fans to Arrowhead Stadium for IMCF's 3-2 victory over Sporting Kansas City in April 2024. 

Later that month, Miami’s 4-1 win over the New England Revolution drew 65,612 fans to Gillette Stadium, surpassing the club's previous home attendance record (61,316) from hosting MLS Cup 2002.  

And just last month, Miami’s MLS is Back visit to LAFC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum drew 75,673 fans at the famed Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum – making it the highest-attended game in MLS opening weekend history and the second-highest attended league match of all-time.

WATCH: Messi & Miami deliver in front of sold-out Baltimore crowd