Miami Freedom Park Will Host Inter Miami Home Games in 2026

Inter Miami will host matches at Miami Freedom Park beginning in 2026. Photo by Inter Miami CF

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Inter Miami CF's controversial soccer stadium at the site of the former Melreese Country Club just east of Miami International Airport is slated to open in 2026, the club announced on Wednesday, September 4.

"After years of dreaming, it is so exciting to be sharing that in 2026, Inter Miami will be moving to its long-term home at Miami Freedom Park," David Beckham said in a statement. "Miami Freedom Park is the culmination of years of hard work and a desire to realize a vision and create a lasting legacy for the fans and the community of Miami and South Florida."

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Photo by Inter Miami CF

After Miami voters approved a no-bid deal to build Inter Miami's Miami Freedom Park at the publicly owned Melreese site, the City of Miami Commission approved a 99-year lease in 2022 as part of a deal l that some residents say benefits wealthy developers at taxpayers' expense. As the club awaits the opening of its new stadium, it has been playing home games at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

A 131-acre development, Miami Freedom Park will feature a 58-acre public park, athletic fields, retail shops, office space, restaurants, hotels, and an entertainment venue. Oh, and the soccer stadium.

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Photo by Inter Miami CF

"Construction is underway on the first phase of Miami Freedom Park, which will compete in stages beginning in late 2025 and will include the new stadium, the public park, roadway, and parking infrastructure, and additional entertainment and hospitality concepts within the district," the club said in a press release.

The second phase of the entertainment district is scheduled to open in 2026. A third phase "will see the launch of additional entertainment offerings."

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Photo by Inter Miami CF

Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas had made assurances that the massive development would be built with private funds. But in August, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state is allocating $8 million for infrastructure improvements around the site.

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Photo by Inter Miami CF

The governor said the money will go to Miami-Dade County to build roadways to improve traffic flow to and from the stadium — specifically, a road described as the property's "main artery."

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Photo by Inter Miami CF

Mas continues to boast that the "stadium is 100 percent privately funded," and that it will help create 13,000 jobs and generate $40 million in local and state tax revenue annually.

Back in December 2023, a Miami-Dade County Commission resolution sought $5 million in improvements to clean up arsenic-contaminated soil, improve drainage, and install water and sewer systems, among other "essential infrastructure."