The second edition of the Messi Cup will bring together 16 leading U-16 academies in Miami, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Barcelona among the clubs set to compete.

Some of the world's most promising young players will descend on Miami this autumn.

Created with Lionel Messi's involvement and hosted by Inter Miami., the tournament will run from 25 October to 1 November 2026, bringing together some of the world's most renowned youth academies.

And this year's competition will be twice the size of the inaugural edition.

After featuring eight teams in its first year, the Messi Cup has expanded to 16 participating academies, underlining the growing ambition behind the tournament.

Among them are some of the biggest names in world football.

Which Academies Are Competing in the Messi Cup 2026?

Three Premier League academies will be represented, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all confirmed for the tournament.

They will be joined by Inter Miami's own U-16 side, who will compete on home turf.

The international line-up also includes:

  • Barcelona
  • Atletico de Madrid
  • Inter Milan
  • Ajax
  • Benfica
  • Palmeiras
  • Flamengo
  • Boca Juniors
  • River Plate
  • Newell's Old Boys
  • Independiente del Valle
  • UE Cornella

The mix of clubs means young players from Europe, North America and South America will compete against one another in a tournament designed to provide experience at an international level.

For academy players, that can offer a very different challenge to domestic youth football.

What Lionel Messi Wants the Messi Cup to Give Young Players

Messi remains closely involved with the competition and believes the tournament can provide young players with an experience that goes beyond what happens on the pitch.

“The Messi Cup was created so that the boys can enjoy a unique experience, both on and off the pitch, at a very important stage in their development.”

The Inter Miami captain also highlighted the importance of exposing players to international competition at an early stage of their development.

“Beginning to understand what it means to compete at the highest international level.”

For Messi, the tournament is also an opportunity for young players from different football cultures to meet.

“We're very happy to see the tournament continue to grow and to be able to bring together players from so many great clubs around the world so they can compete, share the experience and, above all, enjoy football.”

How the Messi Cup Gives Young Players International Experience

One of the most interesting aspects of the Messi Cup is the variety of footballing backgrounds represented.

The European academies arrive from some of the continent's biggest clubs, while the South American contingent includes historic names such as Boca Juniors, River Plate, Flamengo and Palmeiras.

Independiente del Valle also brings its youth development programme from Ecuador.

That creates an opportunity for players to experience different styles of football while competing against leading academy sides from around the world.

For clubs, it can also provide valuable exposure to different approaches to youth development and show how their players perform against unfamiliar opponents.

How Inter Miami's U-16 Academy Will Experience the Messi Cup

The tournament will be particularly significant for the Inter Miami Academy U-16 side.

They will be competing at the club's facilities, with matches taking place at Inter Miami CF Stadium and the Florida Blue Training Center.

The academy players will therefore have the opportunity to test themselves against some of the world's most recognisable football academies without having to travel overseas.

Their exact match schedule will be announced at a later date.

How to Watch the Messi Cup 2026

The tournament's growing profile will also give fans around the world the chance to watch the next generation in action.

MESSI CUP matches will be available through Disney+, ESPN+ and ESPN television channels, with availability varying by territory.

The tournament will give fans an early opportunity to watch some of the young players developing within these academies.

For the young players taking part, however, the immediate objective is simpler.

To experience international football, learn from playing against different opposition and enjoy the opportunity to compete on a global stage.

With the tournament doubling in size for its second edition, the Messi Cup is already becoming an increasingly significant meeting point for some of the world's biggest football academies.

And with Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Ajax, Benfica several of South America's leading academies all involved, Miami will provide a major international stage for these young players this October.