Inter Miami vs. Vancouver Whitecaps—MLS Cup Final: Preview, Predictions and Lineups
Inter Miami welcome Vancouver Whitecaps FC to Chase Stadium on Saturday night for the 30th MLS Cup final, pitting Lionel Messi against Thomas Müller for the 11th time in their storied careers.
Both teams enter the game with plenty of confidence. The Herons advanced past New York City FC with a 5–1 win in the Eastern Conference Final last week, while Vancouver defeated Western Conference regular-season winners, San Diego, 3–1 to win the Western Conference.
The winner of Saturday's clash will lift the Phillip F. Anschutz Trophy and become the 16th different club in history to claim at least one MLS Cup title.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to the game.
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What Time Does Inter Miami vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC Kick-Off?
- Location: Fort Lauderdale
- Stadium: Chase Stadium
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 6
- Kick-Off Time: 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT / 7.30 p.m. GMT
Inter Miami vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC Head-to-Head Record (All-Time)
- Inter Miami: 1 win
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC: 2 wins
- Draws: 0
- Last meeting: Inter Miami 1–3 Vancouver Whitecaps (April 30, 2025)—Concacaf Champions Cup
Current Form (All Competitions)
Inter Miami | Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
|---|---|
Inter Miami 5–1 NYCFC - 11/29/25 | San Diego FC 1–3 Vancouver Whitecaps - 11/29/25 |
FC Cincinnati 0–4 Inter Miami - 11/23/2025 | Vancouver Whitecaps (4) 2–2 (3) LAFC - 11/22/25 |
Inter Miami 4–0 Nashville SC - 11/8/2025 | FC Dallas (2) 1–1 (4) Vancouver Whitecaps - 11/1/25 |
Nashville SC 2–1 Inter Miami - 11/1/2025 | Vancouver Whitecaps 3–0 FC Dallas - 10/26/25 |
Inter Miami 3–1 Nashville SC - 10/24/25 | Vancouver Whitecaps 1–2 FC Dallas - 11/18/25 |
How to Watch Inter Miami vs. Vancouver Whitecaps on TV, Live Stream
Country | Channel |
|---|---|
USA | Apple TV (free), FOX, FOX Deportes |
Canada | Apple TV (free), TSN, RDS |
Worldwide | Apple TV (free) |
Inter Miami Team News
When Inter Miami set out to build their club, they wanted to win every trophy. Yet, none are more important to the team than MLS Cup and winning it with the core of former Barcelona stars, headlined by Lionel Messi.
Luckily for the Herons though, they've hit form at the right time and are the favorite heading into the matchup. Messi has six goals and seven assists in five playoff games and Inter Miami are up to 98 goals across the MLS regular season and playoffs combined, setting a record for the most in the league's 30 years.
Under first year manager Javier Mascherano, Miami will close the chapter on the current era of their roster on Saturday, with Spanish legends Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba set to hang up their boots following the final whistle, with or without lifting the trophy.
At the same time, the match comes at a time when Mascherano has developed into an astute coach in his first professional role. After relying on Uruguayan star Luis Suárez for much of 2024 and 2025, he has stuck with 19-year-old Mateo Silvetti in recent games, revolutionizing the mobility of Miami's attack.
Meanwhile, winger Tadeo Allende leads the MLS Cup playoffs in goals with eight, tied with Carlos Ruiz's 2002 campaign, where he led the LA Galaxy to MLS Cup. Unfortunantly for the Herons, Allende's status could be up in the air as he missed Thursday's training session with flu.
Outside of Allende, Miami appear to be available at full strength, including Jamaican international right back, Ian Fray, who came on as a substitute in the Eastern Conference final after suffering an injury in World Cup qualifying.
Inter Miami have played in the FIFA Club World Cup and are the lone MLS team to beat a UEFA club in a competitive match, but no game is more important to the team's identity than Saturday's MLS Cup clash.
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Inter Miami Predicted Lineup vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
Inter Miami predicted lineup vs. NYCFC (4-3-3): Ríos Novo; Fray, Falcón, Allen, Alba; De Paul, Busquets, Rodriguez; Allende, Messi, Silvetti
Vancouver Whitecaps Team News
The Vancouver Whitecaps have played for North American titles before, but never in MLS. For decades, the club has identified itself with the 1979 North American Soccer League Soccer Bowl, which they won in the club’s fifth season of existence.
Since entering MLS in 2011, the club has won five Canadian Championship titles, but has not won another official trophy. They have the chance to do that on Saturday, as Müller, and DPs Ryan Gauld, Andrés Cubas and Brian White lead their charge in Fort Lauderdale.
Under first-year manager Jesper Sørensen, the Whitecaps enjoyed a record-setting regular season and captured the Canadian Championship, advanced to the Concacaf Champions Cup final and qualified for MLS Cup.
That Champions Cup run gives them plenty of confidence against the Herons, who they beat 5–1 on aggregate over two games in the semifinals of the competition, before falling in the final to Liga MX’s Cruz Azul.
The key to their setup remains the defensive midfield pairing of Cubas and USMNT midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, with Müller likely starting in front of them. However, Müller has dealt with a soft-tissue injury and may be fit to play only 60 minutes, the mark he reached in the Western Conference final.
Should Müller’s minutes and effectiveness be limited, Gauld likely steps up and adds speed and skill to the position. Outside of the midfield, expect wingers Emmanuel Sabbi and Ali Ahmed to play vital roles in threatening from transition.
The biggest question for Sørensen comes at center back. Ralph Priso, usually a midfielder, has impressed filling in for injury and suspension, while Mathías Laborda has done the same. Yet, the opportunity to reintroduce MLS Defender of the Year Tristan Blackmon to the lineup could be enticing, after he served a red card suspension against San Diego.
Led by Müller’s mentality and experience, Vancouver entered the match with confidence and hoped to defeat Miami for the third time in 2025.
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Vancouver Whitecaps Predicted Lineup vs. Inter Miami
Vancouver Whitecaps predicted lineup vs. Inter Miami (4-2-3-1): Takaoka; Ocampo, Priso, Blackmon, Johnson; Cubas, Berhalter; Sabbi, Müller, Ahmed; White
Inter Miami vs. Vancouver Whitecaps Score Prediction
Both teams are very different than when they met in the Concacaf Champions Cup, but defense could still be a weak point. The Whitecaps have injuries to deal with and are out of rhythm at the back, while Miami's backline could falter against Vancouver's transitions.
All that’s to say, this match should have goals in it. Don't expect a typical cagey final in the lead-up to our prediction of Busquets and Alba lifting the Philllip F. Anschutz Trophy with Inter Miami as the final act of their soccer careers.
Score Prediction: Inter Miami 4–3 Vancouver Whitecaps (AET)
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