Major League Soccer and the Vancouver Whitecaps have agreed to pay 347000 dollars to settle a class action lawsuit in Canada after Lionel Messi did not feature in a highly promoted 2024 fixture against Inter Miami. The settlement was recently approved by the Supreme Court of British Columbia, bringing closure to a case that drew significant attention across North American football.
The dispute dates back to May 25 2024, when the Whitecaps hosted Inter Miami at BC Place in Vancouver. The club had heavily marketed the match around the expected appearance of Messi, who was in his first full season in MLS at the time. Demand for tickets surged, with prices climbing sharply as fans anticipated seeing the eight time Ballon dOr winner in action.
However, Messi did not travel to Vancouver for the game. Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino opted to rest several key players including Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets, citing the need to protect squad fitness ahead of two important home fixtures the following week. The decision triggered frustration among supporters who had purchased tickets specifically to watch the Argentine superstar.
In response to the backlash, the Whitecaps introduced measures aimed at easing fan disappointment. The club reduced food and beverage prices inside the stadium, offered meal vouchers for children under 18 and distributed complimentary tickets for future matches to selected attendees. Despite those efforts, a civil claim was filed on June 4 2024, with a local fan acting as the named plaintiff.
The lawsuit argued that the marketing campaign had implied or suggested that Messi and other star players would participate in the match. Plaintiffs claimed that supporters had been influenced by promotional messaging when deciding to purchase tickets at inflated prices.
MLS and the Whitecaps denied liability throughout the legal process and maintained that the claims lacked merit. Court documents indicated that both parties chose to settle to avoid prolonged litigation and escalating legal costs. The agreement does not include any admission of wrongdoing.
The total settlement amount was set at 475000 Canadian dollars, which converts to approximately 347000 US dollars. After legal fees are deducted, the remaining funds will be donated to three sports focused charitable organizations in British Columbia, including KidSport BC, Canada SCORES and BGC South Coast BC.
The case highlights the commercial power of Lionel Messi within MLS and the risks associated with star driven promotion strategies. Since joining Inter Miami, Messi has significantly boosted league attendance figures, sponsorship visibility and global media coverage. For clubs and the league alike, balancing marketing ambitions with squad management decisions remains a growing challenge in a star powered era of North American soccer.
