Per MLS rules, any player who doesn't participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in their club's next match.

Inter Miami will host FC Cincinnati in a matchup of two of the top five teams in the Eastern Conference on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. FC Cincinnati (15-6-3, 48 points) blanked Inter Miami 3-0 on July 16 and surged to the top spot in the conference following a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake last Saturday.

Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Más said on Friday that the club disagrees with the decision by MLS to suspend Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba for one game after they both missed the 2025 MLS All-Star Game. “It's a bad rule, but it's a rule nonetheless," Más told reporters, via Franco Panizo.