Inter Miami open Nu Stadium as Jorge Mas says club delivered on Miami promise

Inter Miami inaugurated Nu Stadium on Saturday night, moving into the club’s first permanent home as the wider Miami Freedom Park development continues around the venue.The launch is a key commercial step for the MLS champions, with the 26,700-seat stadium designed to lift matchday revenues, expand premium and hospitality inventory, and create a year-round events business beyond football.The opening also brought operational pressure after local reporting indicated the club needed late-stage city approvals that would allow the stadium to open at full capacity while construction work continues in parts of the surrounding site.MLS commissioner Don Garber said the necessary approval was secured in time and that the league did not see a case for delaying the inaugural fixture.Don Garber said: “Rarely have they gone, you know, to the point where you have years to work through all the aspects of getting a building open.”Pre-match ceremonies included a ribbon cutting involving David Beckham and the Mas brothers, with Beckham crediting his partners for converting a long-running plan into an operating venue.David Beckham said: “When I came to America and the MLS 20 years ago, my dream was to win championships, help raise the game of soccer that I love so much and to build my own team.“Thirteen years ago, I announced Miami was my choice. We had no name. We had no fans. We had no stadium. Today, I stand in our new home. We are champions of the MLS. We have the best player in the history of the game playing in Miami. Dreams really can come true.”“To make all of this possible, I want to thank my partners, Jorge and Jose Mas, and their incredible family, for their passion, their belief, and their unwavering commitment to this club and this city."Jorge Mas used his remarks to link the stadium to the club’s brand ambition and to frame the move from a temporary home in Fort Lauderdale to Miami proper as a delivery commitment.Mas said: “We promised Miami, our fans, that we were going to build a club that, when people talked about soccer in the United States, would bring to mind the pink of Inter Miami. And we have delivered.”On the pitch, Inter Miami drew 2-2 with Austin FC in the first match at Nu Stadium, with Lionel Messi scoring the club’s first goal at the venue and Luis Suárez providing a late equaliser.The debut match reinforced the club’s underlying commercial proposition, using a stadium opening as a global content moment that drives ticket demand, sponsor value and media attention.Nu Stadium now becomes the core asset in Inter Miami’s next growth phase, with performance judged on operational consistency, fan experience, completion of remaining works, and the speed at which the club can scale non-matchday utilisation across concerts, private events and broader entertainment programming.