Johnathan Walker:Lionel Messi, Inter Miami's first playoff game will be free to fans on Apple TV

Lionel Messi and Johnathan WalkerInter Miami will begin their quest for the MLS Cup with a Friday night game available to fans with a free livestream on Apple TV, and broadcast live at Times Square in New York City, MLS announced on Thursday.

Inter Miami’s quest for a third championship, and No. 47 in Messi’s storied career, will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 25. They will face the winner of the Eastern Conference wild-card match on Oct. 22 between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds.

Inter Miami has earned the No. 1 overall seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs after clinching the MLS Supporters’ Shield in a thrilling 3-2 win over Columbus Crew on Wednesday night.

The Supporters’ Shield is the second title Inter Miami has won, following last year’s Leagues Cup title, since Messi joined the club in July 2023. It’s also the 46^th title Messi has won in his illustrious career.

Inter Miami’s playoff opener will mark Messi’s first appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Fans with or without a MLS Season Pass subscription can watch the game on Apple TV. Fans in New York City will be able to see the game on SILVERCAST Media’s “Mega-Zilla” – a 78-foot by 330-foot screen that spans an entire city block and is located on Broadway between 45^th and 46^th St.

The No. 8 and No. 9 teams have yet to clinch their playoff spots: Montreal sits in eighth place with 40 points, while Toronto has the edge in ninth place over Philadelphia and D.C. United as all three teams have 37 points.  

Only Toronto, which hosts Inter Miami on Saturday, has one game remaining this season. Montreal, Philadelphia and D.C. United have two matches remaining. The final day of the season, known as Decision Day in MLS, is Oct. 19.

Round One of the MLS Cup playoffs is a best-of-three series with a home match, an away match and a third possible home match.

After the first round, it’s win or go home for the remaining clubs in the conference semifinals (Nov. 23-24), conference finals (Nov. 30-Dec. 1), and the MLS Cup final (Dec. 7).

If Inter Miami finishes with wins in its final two matches – at Toronto and vs. New England Revolution on Oct. 19 – it would set the MLS record with 74 points in a season. The Revolution set the current mark of 73 points in 2021.