What time is Inter Miami vs Real Salt Lake? Live stream, TV channel, kickoff schedule for MLS opener

The first full season of Messi mania in Major League Soccer is set to kick off Wednesday, as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami host Ruben Luna and Real Salt Lake at from Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

The 36-year-old played just six league games last season, scoring one goal to go with two assists. But in the Leagues Cup, Messi absolutely went off, scoring 10 goals to go with one assist as Inter Miami lifted the trophy. 

Gerardo Martino, also in his first full season at Inter Miami, will be looking to bring the club back to the MLS Cup playoffs, starting with a positive result against Real Salt Lake. 

The Sporting News has all the details you need to ensure you don’t miss a minute of Inter Miami’s MLS opener.

What time is Inter Miami’s opening match against Real Salt Lake? Inter Miami is set to kick off the match against Real Salt Lake on Apple at 8 p.m. local time. 

Here’s how the kickoff time translates across the globe:

  Date Kickoff time USA Wed Feb. 21 8:00 p.m. ET Canada Wed, Feb. 21 8:00 p.m. ET UK Thurs, Feb. 22 1:00 a.m. GMT India Thurs, Feb. 22 6:30 a.m. IST Australia Thurs, Feb. 22 12:00 p.m. AEDT Date: Wednesday, Feb. 21 Time: 8 p.m. ET  / 5 p.m. PT TV channel: None Streaming: Apple TV+ (MLS Season Pass) Inter Miami vs. Real Salt Lake will be broadcast on Apple TV+ as part of the MLS Season Pass package. It will not be shown on traditional TV. 

Inter Miami vs. Real Salt Lake lineups, team news The addition of Luis Suarez — even with the injury to Facundo Farias — should make Inter Miami’s attack one of the most fearsome in the nation. Once Suarez gets up to speed with Diego Gomez, Messi, and outside backs Jordi Alba and DeAndre Yedlin, we could easily see Suarez finishing at a pace of a goal a game. Wednesday night is a great chance for him to start the season off right and show that there’s still plenty left in his tank. 

Inter Miami (4-3-3, right to left): Drake Callender (GK) — DeAndre Yedlin, Tomas Aviles, Nicolas Freire, Jordi Alba — David Ruiz, Sergio Busquets, Julian Gressel — Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Diego Gomez

Inter Miami subs: TBC

While Inter Miami brings the experience, Real Salt Lake will be displaying the next generation of stars when they take the field in Fort Lauderdale. Diego Luna will be expected to pick up where he left off after a strong season in MLS, and he’s joined by 17-year-old new signing Fidel Barajas in midfield. 

Pablo Mastroeni recently picked up a veteran midfield addition to replace mainstay Damir Kreilach in Matt Crooks. The former Middlesbrough midfielder should provide solidity in central midfield, allowing Luna and Barajas freedom to create out wide. 

Real Salt Lake (4-3-3, right to left): Zac MacMath (GK) — Andrew Brody, Alexandros Katranis, Justin Glad, Bryan Oviedo — Pablo Ruiz, Matt Crooks, Braian Ojeda — Fidel Barajas, Chicho Arango, Ruben Luna

Real Salt Lake subs: TBC

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Author(s)

Daniel is a freelance soccer writer for The Sporting News. Before joining TSN, Dan covered soccer at home and abroad for 8 years between SBI Soccer and NBC’s Pro Soccer Talk. Dan’s also worked as a full-time news and sports journalist and as a UX copywriter for two Fortune 50 firms. In his free time (if he has any), Dan enjoys relaxing with his wife, playing with his two kids, and walking his 8-year-old Olde English Bulldogge (yes, that’s how it is spelled).