November 01, (THEWILL) – Inter Miami’s proposed pre-season tour of China has been called off, the club announced on Wednesday. The Major League Soccer side was set to face Chinese Super League clubs, Qingdao Hainiu and Chengdu Rongcheng, in friendly matches this month. However, Inter Miami said the tour’s promoter informed them of the cancellation due to “unforeseen circumstances in China.”
The tour organiser confirmed the news on Chinese social media, expressing regret over the decision but without elaborating on the reasons. The matches were intended to capitalise on the popularity of Inter Miami’s star signing Lionel Messi. The Argentinian led his national team to World Cup glory in December and claimed a record-extending 8th Ballon d’Or trophy on Monday.
Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami over the summer led to a huge surge in the club’s international profile. On the pitch, the team also enjoyed success by winning their first silverware with the Leagues Cup in August. The cancelled China friendlies represent a setback to Inter Miami’s ambitions to grow their fanbase in Asia.
China has seen its domestic game struggle with corruption recently. The men’s national team has also underperformed, leading to huge interest when global superstars like Messi visit. This made the proposed Inter Miami tour a tantalising prospect for fans. However, the mysterious circumstances preventing it from going ahead will be a disappointment to organisers and supporters alike.
The club will now have to look into arranging replacement pre-season games as they build towards the new MLS campaign. Inter Miami will hope Messi can inspire them to further success in 2023 as they aim to establish themselves as a major force in American soccer.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
