How to watch Lionel Messi’s first practice, first game, and where to buy his jersey

Non-soccer fans may have been perplexed when a giant Apple billboard appeared in the heart of downtown Miami this week featuring simply a pink goat and the words “now on [Apple logo] tv”. But soccer fans knew exactly what that billboard meant.

It meant that Argentine icon Lionel Messi, considered by many to be the Greatest Of All Time, had joined Inter Miami and his games would now be available on Apple TV, which last year signed a 10-year, $2.5 billion broadcast deal with Major League Soccer.

Eager to get into the arena of live sports programming, Apple became the exclusive provider of every MLS game in the 2023 season through its MLS Season Pass.

Apple is going all in with Messi content, starting with live coverage of his “Unveil” welcome ceremony Sunday night. There were some audio glitches during the broadcast, but fans around the world were able to tune in and see Messi be presented with his No. 10 pink jersey.

On Tuesday morning, Apple is providing live coverage of his first training session at Inter Miami’s training facility in Fort Lauderdale. The session, titled “Bienvenido Messi: Training Begins” is set to begin at 8:45 a.m., and Apple will have five commentators on hand (two English, three Spanish) to chronicle the occasion.

Anyone around the world with an Apple device can tune in for free on the Apple TV app and at tv.apple.com. MLS Season Pass is available in over 100 countries and can be accessed on the Apple TV app on smart TVs, streaming devices, Apple devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, as well as on the web at tv.apple.com.

Messi’s first game, expected to be Friday against Mexican club Cruz Azul to kick off the Leagues Cup tournament, will stream on Apple’s subscription service in the United States and around the world.

Beginning July 21 and culminating with the Leagues Cup Final on August 19, MLS Season Pass will offer live broadcasts of all 77 matches in English and Spanish, and in French for matches with Canadian teams; pregame and postgame shows; club-produced match previews; and additional features highlighting the tournament’s biggest stars.

“With the arrival of the greatest soccer player of all-time, the storied history of LIGA MX, and the natural rivalries that exist with MLS, this promises to be a tournament filled with drama and excitement. We have assembled a great team of announcers to tell the stories and deliver all the action in three languages to soccer fans worldwide on MLS Season Pass,” said Seth Bacon, MLS Executive Vice President of Media

Apple TV also is working on a docuseries about Messi, which is being produced by Tim Pastore, who won an Emmy for ‘Free Solo’ and ‘Jane.’

MLS commissioner Don Garber on Sunday stressed the depth of the partnership the league has with Apple,

“I think you’ll see more and more multiple languages on Apple next, the uniqueness of the technology,” he said. “We’re looking at launching other languages as early as next year. Now we’re English, Spanish and French, which is remarkable. I think there will be more opportunity for us to be very, very targeted to specific audiences, whether that’s in Portuguese or other languages. Just hang tight.”

In the U.S., an MLS Season Pass subscription regularly costs $14.99 per month (or $99 for the season) but Apple TV slashed prices midseason to make it easier for fans to watch. You can subscribe and watch the rest of the 2023 MLS season for $39. Monthly subscriptions have been reduced to $12.99 per month. For information, go to https://tv.apple.com/us/channel/mls-season-pass/tvs.sbd.7000

Messi Jerseys For Sale: Messi’s Inter Miami No. 10 jersey is now on sale, and it is projected to become one of the top selling jerseys of all time. It is available on mlsstore.com and is $124.99 for the adult replica jersey and $179.99 to $194.99 for the authentic jersey. Youth sizes are $104.99 for the replica shirts.