As the soccer world turns its focus to Vancouver, fans in Victoria grapple with a tough decision: should they make the trip to see the Whitecaps play Inter Miami, despite uncertainties over Lionel Messi's appearance?
On Thursday night, the Vancouver Whitecaps will host Inter Miami at BC Place in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup (CCC) semi-finals.
Vancouver has enjoyed an incredible start under new head coach Jesper Sorensen, leading the Western Conference and Supporters' Shield standings through seven matchdays with 16 points, reaching the CCC for the second time in club history, and the first time since 2017.
This high-stakes matchup is not only a chance to inch closer to the Club World Cup but also a potential opportunity to see Messi, the 37-year-old Argentinian superstar who has significantly boosted Major League Soccer's (MLS) profile in North America since joining Inter Miami in 2023.
Since Messi鈥檚 arrival, the league has seen record-breaking numbers, with 12.1 million total attendees across MLS regular season and playoff games in 2024 鈥� a 5 per cent increase from 2023 and a 14 per cent increase from 2022.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just over a year away, and Vancouver set to be one of the Canadian host cities, excitement for the sport continues to build.
For some, however, the memory of a missed opportunity still stings.
鈥淲e planned on going in 2024,鈥� Sam Parsons, a Victoria parent, said. 鈥淥ur youngest lives and breathes soccer. He wears his Messi jersey to bed every night. It was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.鈥�
That much-anticipated May 2024 match between the Whitecaps and Inter Miami sold out quickly, but Messi was absent, with the club citing 鈥済ruelling travel and a three-hour time change.鈥�
For many fans, seeing Messi live was a key part of the experience, and his absence last year was a bitter disappointment. Fans were offered discounted food and drinks, and a $35 ticket credit for a future game, but the disappointment lingered for many.
鈥淲e financially couldn鈥檛 consider trying again this year,鈥� Parsons said. 鈥淭hat ruined our budgeting. As much as I want to take them, it's just not feasible. I hope the families who go this time are rewarded.鈥�
Another Victoria parent, Carry Larson, expressed similar frustration.
鈥淭hat weekend cost our family close to $5,000 with tickets, hotel, and ferry fees,鈥� Larson said. 鈥淚n the end, we got three disappointed kids. We didn鈥檛 even think about trying again this year. It was tough to recover from.鈥�
Despite last year鈥檚 setback, some fans remain determined. For those who missed out in 2024, this rematch could be a chance to see Messi live.
鈥淲e tried to get tickets in 2024, but they sold out so quickly,鈥� Alana Smith from Saanich said. 鈥淚t worked out in the end, but this year, we鈥檙e all in.鈥�
Smith and her partner plan to catch the first ferry on Thursday morning. While they don鈥檛 know if Messi will play, their hope remains strong.
鈥淲e have no idea if he鈥檒l be coming, but we鈥檙e taking the chance. This has been a dream of ours for a long time. If it happens, we鈥檒l have a story to tell for years.鈥�
Regardless of Messi鈥檚 appearance, the match will be played in front of another sellout crowd, with 54,500 fans expected in the stands.
The second leg of the tie will take place on April 30 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The winner will earn a spot in the CCC final, with a 2029 FIFA Club World Cup berth up for grabs in that match on June 1.
For those travelling from Victoria, the dream is simple: to see Messi walk out onto the pitch.
Kick-off is at 7:30 p.m.
