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The idea of MLS clubs getting closer to CONMEBOL competitions again is gaining momentum, and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami has become the name at the center of it. There’s still no official invitation for the 2027 Copa Libertadores, but talks between officials have brought back a relationship that already had a strong precedent with Mexican football.
Between 1998 and 2016, Mexican clubs took part in the Copa Libertadores as guests for 18 years. Far from playing a minor role, several of them went toe-to-toe with South America’s biggest clubs and reached the tournament’s decisive stages.
Three made it to the final. Cruz Azul finished runner-up in 2001 against Boca Juniors, Chivas de Guadalajara lost the 2010 final, and Tigres de Monterrey did the same in 2015. None of them lifted the trophy, but those runs left a real mark on the tournament’s recent history.
Mexican participation ended after the 2016 edition, when Puebla, Toluca and Pumas were the last teams to represent the country. Changes to the Libertadores calendar, plus the difficulty of juggling multiple competitions, pushed Liga MX clubs out. The idea of a return has come up more than once since then, but it never went anywhere.
Inter Miami’s case
Back in early 2026, Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas said publicly that he’d like to see the club play in the Copa Libertadores. He also confirmed he’d spoken with CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domรญnguez and Concacaf president Vรญctor Montagliani about the possibility of North American clubs joining the competition.
CONMEBOL hasn’t shut the door either. Domรญnguez said there’s room for MLS and Liga MX teams to compete in South American tournaments again, though he made clear any decision would need to go through Concacaf, the confederation these clubs belong to.
In recent days, reports have circulated placing Inter Miami as a possible invitee for the 2027 Libertadores. A first step, some say, toward Concacaf gradually regaining a foothold in the tournament. For now, though, CONMEBOL hasn’t confirmed anything, and there’s no guaranteed spot for the U.S. club.
If Inter Miami does end up playing, there’d be an extra layer to it: it would be Lionel Messi’s first Copa Libertadores. He built almost his entire career in Europe before moving to the U.S. in 2023, so he’s never played South America’s top club competition.
But this isn’t just about one player. MLS is in the middle of a growth phase and wants closer ties to international football. Starting in July 2027, the league will also shift its calendar to line up with the world’s top leagues. For its clubs, facing teams from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Chile or Paraguay on a regular basis would mean going up against different styles and a footballing tradition with little in common with Concacaf’s.
For the Libertadores, bringing North American clubs back could revive the kind of matchups Mexican teams provided for nearly two decades, while also opening the competition up to new audiences.
There’s still plenty left to sort out. Scheduling and travel are real factors, but what actually decides this is whether CONMEBOL and Concacaf can reach an agreement. For now, the 2027 Libertadores keeps its usual format and Inter Miami’s involvement remains exactly that, a possibility not a done deal.
The Agency Perspective
The possibility of Inter Miami competing in the Copa Libertadores could have an impact that goes far beyond Lionel Messi or one individual club. From a market perspective, reconnecting North and South American teams through meaningful competition could create new transfer opportunities in both directions.
From an agent’s perspective, competing in a tournament like the Libertadores also provides a different benchmark for evaluating players. An MLS player regularly facing Brazilian, Argentine, Colombian or Uruguayan clubs has the opportunity to perform against different styles, environments and levels of pressure. That exposure can expand the number of markets interested in a player and provide additional context when assessing their value.
The same applies in the opposite direction. For MLS clubs, direct competition against South American talent could accelerate scouting processes and create relationships with clubs and players that may previously have been outside their usual market. For agents working across the United States, Latin America and Europe, greater integration between these competitions could also mean more connections, more information and ultimately more pathways for building a player’s career.
Inter Miami would naturally attract the headlines today, and Messi would bring enormous attention to the competition. But the more interesting long-term question is whether this could become something more structural: a new connection between two football markets that have significant value to offer each other.
At Sousa Football Agents, we closely follow developments like these because whenever football markets become more connected, new opportunities for our clients can emerge.
