for months, inter miami The Nou Stadium was advertised with a simple message: “We’re coming home.” On Saturday, a 2-2 draw austin fc That was the first official game at the stadium, the club finally fulfilled its promise only it knows how.
Before the match the field was covered in pink lights, while a tifo in the stands read “Aqui empiza una nueva eraqui,” meaning “Today begins a new era.” in the center of the pitch, Lionel Messi The game started and within 10 minutes, he scored the club’s first goal in front of the stand bearing his name.
Club co-owner and founder David Beckham said, “It is very special to see this stadium come to life after years of trying to get this stadium up and running in Miami.”
“I came to America and of MLS 20 years ago, and I made a lot of promises. Twelve years ago, I again made a lot of promises, announcing that I was coming to Miami. Today, it’s a dream come true for us… Today I stand in my new home, we are MLS champions and we have the best player in the history of the game playing in Miami.”
It’s been a long time coming for everyone involved with Inter Miami, especially Beckham. His dream of building a Miami Dade-based stadium began in 2014, when MLS Commissioner Don Garber officially awarded Beckham the expansion franchise. He envisioned a waterfront destination located in the heart of the city to build a 20,000–30,000-seat stadium.
Beckham’s first bid targeted land next to Kasia Center, home of the Miami Heat, with views of Biscayne Bay and downtown, but his initial efforts were quickly shut down by the city, forcing him to unsuccessfully pursue Little Havana and Overtown.
By 2018, Jorge and José Mas, founders of Miami-based construction and engineering company Mastec, became involved in the ownership of Inter Miami and the search for a venue.
With no lease agreement in sight and the team’s MLS debut fast approaching, the new ownership group decided to remodel Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale as a temporary solution. After a nearly $100 million renovation, which included a training facility, multiple practice fields, and a new 20-000-seat stadium, Inter Miami prepared to debut at the then-newly named DRV PNK Stadium.
But the efforts for a permanent home never stopped.
Beckham and the Maas brothers began negotiations for the Melridge Golf Course site in 2018, after 60% of voters approved a referendum that authorized the city to negotiate and execute a 99-year lease. It took another four years for it to be officially approved, but Beckham and the Maas brothers finally got what they wanted.
Club co-owner George Maas said, “It’s a dream come true.” “It is a stadium that was born from a dream, which was to build a first-class stadium in my hometown to celebrate football. Miami is the capital of the world today, and it will be the capital of football, especially with our club, with our captain Leo Messi.”
On the field, Austin FC spoils the party early on as winger Guilherme Biro The first official goal at Nu Stadium was scored in the sixth minute. That was until Messi got proceedings back on track with a nice header. For the first time, but certainly not the last, the entire stadium chanted Messi’s name.
Beckham and Mas got their dream, but the dream isn’t over: It won’t end without more setbacks: winger jayden nelson Austin’s lead was restored early in the second half. There was no goal from the Miami striker until the last minutes of the game Luis SuarezWho managed to save a point by converting a corner at the back post.
Suarez is one of the best players of his generation, but he has struggled with osteoarthritis in recent seasons and has not scored in a competitive game since October 11, 2025. His strike came at the right time. He could also have had the winner late on: as the game headed towards stoppage time, Messi fired a free-kick on goal, and the ball bounced off the post before Suárez headed the ball home. However, he was ruled offside and the goal was disallowed.
The draw was not an ideal start in Miami’s minds, but, like the rest of the Miami Freedom Park sports complex surrounding Nu Stadium, this team is a work in progress. “I believed in Miami and Miami believed in us,” Beckham said.
For now, Miami will continue to search for their first win in a city and stadium they can finally call home.
