Defending Leagues Cup champions Inter Miami will begin their title defense as they take on Liga MX side Puebla at home on Saturday in the group stage.
Lionel Messi will not be available, having suffered a nasty ankle injury in the Copa America final earlier this summer. He is expected to return for Inter Miami at some point in the Leagues Cup, having been included in the club's official squad registry for the competition, but when that will happen is yet to be determined.
Inter Miami have done extremely well without their Argentine superstar in large stretches this season, sitting top of the Eastern Conference standings as MLS breaks for the tournament. However, they will be without a number of players for this month's Leagues Cup due to the Olympics.
Liga MX clubs have only just begun their current Apertura season, but Puebla have not enjoyed a fast start, winning just one of their first four fixtures. They were eliminated in the group stage of last year's competition, finishing bottom of their three-team group behind the Chicago Fire and Minnesota United, needing a top-two finish to advance.
MORE: Find out which Leagues Cup games are streaming free on MLS Season pass from Apple TV
Inter Miami vs. Puebla live stream, TV channel
Every single match throughout the entirety of the 2024 Leagues Cup is available to stream on MLS Season Pass from Apple TV .
While some Leagues Cup matches are being made available for free viewing, this match is not one of those tabbed for non-subscriber access, and therefore an MLS Season Pass subscription is required.
What time is Inter Miami vs. Puebla kickoff?
This Leagues Cup match kicks off from Chase Stadium on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 8 p.m. local time in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:
| Date | Kickoff time |
| Eastern Time | Sat, Jul. 27 | 8 p.m. |
| Central Time | Sat, Jul. 27 | 7 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Sat, Jul. 27 | 6 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Sat, Jul. 27 | 5 p.m. |
| Alaska ST | Sat, Jul. 27 | 4 p.m. |
| Hawaii ST | Sat, Jul. 27 | 2 p.m. |
Inter Miami vs. Puebla lineups & team news
Lionel Messi has been ruled out for Saturday, and Inter Miami are also missing a host of other players due to injury, with Nicolas Freire and Facundo Farias out for the year with ACL tears and Serhiy Kryvtsov deals with a shorter-term knee issue.
Additionally, the Herons are without young midfield stars Benjamin Cremaschi , Federico Redondo , and Diego Gomez as all three are currently in France competing in the Olympics. It means Tata Martino has a decision to make, whether to deploy Sergio Busquets in the thin midfield or see him continue to deputize at center-back. Luis Suarez also is considered questionable due to right knee discomfort that kept him out of Wednesday's MLS All-Star Game.
Inter Miami projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Callender (GK) — Weigandt, Aviles, Allen, Alba — D. Ruiz, Busquets, Rojas — Gressel, Suarez, Taylor.
As Puebla are in the early stages of the new Liga MX season, they do not have any notable fitness concerns to work around.
Canadian international Lucas Cavallini was not part of the Copa America squad, and instead has enjoyed an electric start to Liga MX play, scoring four goals in the club's first four games to see himself level atop the early Golden Boot standings.
Puebla projected starting lineup (4-1-4-1): J. Rodriguez (GK) — Ferrareis, Gulate, Orona, Angulo — De Buen — D. Alvarez, Castillo, P. Gonzalez, A. Herrera — Cavallini.
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