Image courtesy of UnderConsideration.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you already know that Miami is getting their very own MLS franchise.

In early 2014 Major League Soccer identified world renowned footballer, David Beckham and creator of American Idol, Simon Fuller as potential owners of an MLS franchise in Miami.

On January 29, 2018, Beckham’s ownership group was awarded the twenty-fifth MLS franchise and will officially start playing “futbol” in early 2020 at the start of the MLS season.

Many Obstacles

It hasn’t all been rainbows and butterflies for Beckham and his ownership group throughout this process.

The ownership group which now includes Sprint CEO, Marcelo Claure, Mastec CEO, Jose Mas and Japanese entrepreneur Masayoshi Son, has faced countless road blocks with the City of Miami.

But it seems like brighter days are in the horizon for Inter Miami CF. The club is set to build a 25,000 seat stadium on a 131-acre plot of land

which will include mixed used space, a hotel and practice soccer fields.

Stadium Options

All of this came to fruition after 60% of voters in Miami approved to convert the current Melreese Country Club into what is being called Miami Freedom Park. This decision was made after many failures in part by the ownership group to secure plots of land in Dodge Island at the port of Miami, and also a privately owned lot in Overtown.

The Melreese site has been met with some controversy due to the politics involved, we will be following this story.

Any stadium will obviously not be ready by the start of the 2020 MLS season. Where will Inter Miami CF play their inaugural seasons?

Ownership is currently negotiating with the home of the Miami Marlins, Marlins Ballpark and the home of the Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium.

Both stadiums have the capacity to host MLS games but Hard Rock Stadium seems like the logical fit as its rectangular in shape and has already hosted huge soccer matches.

But Southern Legion, the original supporters club of Inter Miami CF, made a valid point. Hard Rock Stadium is now hosting the Miami Open which ends March 31st, the MLS season begins play the first weekend in March.

Big question about @HardRockStadium hosting games in 2020-21 is whether or not it can switch over to a pitch after hosting the Miami Open, which ends March 31st with MLS starting the 1st weekend of March. So either #InterMiamiCF is away for the first month or playing else…. https://t.co/gsvIciXN6C — Southern Legion (@Southern_Legion) January 16, 2019

So with this schedule as it stands, Hard Rock Stadium seems like its out of the equation.

Which brings us to Marlins Ballpark.

Traditionally a baseball stadium, we have seen this venue host American football games before, so switching up the field should not be a problem. This stadium is also closer to the city and closer to the proposed site of the future stadium.

With all this being said, the excitement is definitely brewing here in Miami as the days keep ticking away till we welcome our own soccer team here in our beloved city.

If you’d like to keep up to date with all things Inter Miami CF I recommend following Southern Legion on all social media platforms and keep an eye out for upcoming articles that will be posted on Miami Sports Wave.