Vancouver Whitecaps to settle fan lawsuit claiming Messi no-show

A proposed settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit over the non-appearance of soccer superstar Lionel Messi and other Inter Miami players in a match against the Vancouver Whitecaps last year.

The proposed settlement between fans who sued the Whitecaps and Major League Soccer includes updates to the Whitecaps’ ticketing policies and a $475,000 charitable donation.

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The lawyers for the fans say the settlement remains subject to court approval at an upcoming hearing, and that the Whitecaps and MLS continue to deny wrongdoing or liability.

There were chants of “Where is Messi” among the crowd of more than 51,000 fans at the May 25, 2024, match, which Inter Miami won 2-1.

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The lawyers for the fans say the Whitecaps and MLS advertised the game by referring to Miami players Messi, Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets, but were “reckless” about whether they would actually play.

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Class members have until Jan. 28, 2026, to opt out of the planned settlement, in which the Whitecaps agree to update ticketing terms to state that player appearances are not guaranteed, with a pop-up notice to that effect on Ticketmaster’s website.