Inter Miami and the Vancouver Whitecaps meet in the 2025 MLS Cup as two first-time finalists, but the storylines around them feel anything but inexperienced. Both soccer clubs arrive in Fort Lauderdale on December 6 riding waves of momentum, star power and recent history that includes a lopsided Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal earlier this year, setting up a compelling “rematch” narrative for the league’s biggest stage.
The stage itself adds extra weight to the occasion. Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale hosts the final, with Inter Miami earning home-field advantage after finishing higher in the Supporters’ Shield standings and storming through the Eastern Conference playoffs. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, and the match doubles as a farewell of sorts, with this expected to be Miami’s last game at Chase Stadium before moving to Miami Freedom Park in 2026. Vancouver, meanwhile, continue a road-warrior postseason that has already seen them win away at Dallas and San Diego to lift their first Western Conference title.
Inter Miami vs. Vancouver odds
The total for the game is set at 2.5 goals, with the over fetching -225 odds and the under +170.
Lionel Messi is -188 to score and +137 to record an assist.
Lionel Messi to score in MLS Cup Final
How the teams got here
Inter Miami’s path to MLS Cup has showcased an attack operating at historic levels. The Herons have outscored playoff opponents by a combined 17–4, including a 5–1 demolition of New York City FC in the Eastern Conference Final. Lionel Messi, fresh off a Golden Boot-winning regular season with 29 goals and 19 assists, has produced a record 13 goal contributions in these playoffs, supported by breakout star Tadeo Allende, whose eight postseason goals tie the single-season MLS playoff scoring mark. With veterans Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets expected to retire at season’s end, Miami have the added emotional push of trying to send two icons out as champions.
Vancouver arrive with their own aura of a team of destiny. The Whitecaps set a club record with 63 points in the regular season, reached the Concacaf Champions Cup final and captured a fourth straight Canadian Championship before navigating a tough Western playoff bracket. They dispatched San Diego FC 3–1 in the Western Conference Final behind a brace from leading scorer Brian White, who has recently returned from a hamstring injury, while captain Ryan Gauld is ramping up minutes after a long-term knee issue. The mid-season signing of German legend Thomas Müller has transformed their attack; he has delivered 9 goals and 4 assists in just 12 matches across all competitions, giving Vancouver a proven big-game match-winner to counter Messi’s star power.
The head-to-head series adds another layer of intrigue. These sides have met three times competitively, with Vancouver holding the edge after winning both legs of their Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal in April by a combined 5–1 scoreline. Miami did claim a 2–1 regular-season win in Vancouver in 2024, but that match came before Messi, Busquets and Luis Suárez were part of the picture, making it a poor indicator of the current balance of power. This final will be their fourth-ever meeting and the first at Chase Stadium, where Miami’s home form and attacking swagger will be sternly tested by a Whitecaps side that has already proven it can frustrate and punish them in knockout football.
Tactically, expect Miami to dominate the ball, building through Busquets and looking to free Messi between Vancouver’s lines, with Allende attacking spaces behind the Whitecaps’ back line. Vancouver, under first-year head coach Jesper Sørensen, have evolved into a balanced, high-confidence unit that can press selectively, transition quickly through Gauld and Müller, and rely on White’s movement inside the box. Given Miami’s scoring form and Vancouver’s own attacking weapons, this matchup has all the ingredients of an open, high-chance final rather than a cagey, low-event affair.
Beyond tactics and narrative, there is history on the line. Both clubs are chasing their first MLS Cup, guaranteeing a new name on the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy to close the league’s 30th season. Miami are seeking to add MLS Cup to a recent haul that already includes Leagues Cup and a Supporters’ Shield in the Messi era, potentially cementing this group’s legacy as one of MLS’s great super-teams. Vancouver, long overshadowed within MLS, have the chance to cap a dream season and announce themselves as a true continental force by toppling Messi and company on their own turf.