New York City FC vs. Inter Miami: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

Inter Miami are heading to the Big Apple, looking to rebound from Concacaf Champions Cup heartbreak when they take on Eastern Conference leaders, New York City FC on Sunday afternoon.

The reigning MLS Cup champions had prioritized winning the Champions Cup this season, but crashed out in the round of 16 on Wednesday when a 1–1 draw at home against Nashville SC forced them out on away goals.

Taking on NYCFC, the Herons face another tough test, with the Pigeons having secured 10 of a possible 12 points through four games this season, most recently with a 3–1 victory against the Colorado Rapids.

Miami’s last MLS game featured a scoreless draw against Charlotte FC, with a heavily rotated squad. Despite all first-choice players seeing the pitch on Wednesday in Champions Cup, expect many of them to start again as the club’s focus turns back to the MLS regular season.

Here’s Sports Illustrated’s guide to the heavyweight bout in the MLS Eastern Conference.

New York City FC vs. Inter Miami Score Prediction

New York City FC Seeking Fourth Straight Win

Lionel Messi scored the 900th goal of his career on Wednesday. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

New York City FC can match their longest win streak in club history with a win against the Herons this weekend, but it won’t be an easy task.

While Nicolás Fernández and Maxi Moralez have stood out as potent attacking pieces for the Pigeons, finding a way to outproduce Inter Miami is a challenge. Lionel Messi seeks his 901st career goal, now on his way to the 1,000 mark. $15 million offseason signing, Germán Berterame, is desperate to get on the board this season.

With Yankee Stadium offering a smaller field size than any other MLS pitch, NYCFC will have an early advantage while Miami adjust their tactics. Their attack has a chance to force mistakes on Miami’s often faulty defensive setup.

Head-to-head record: Inter Miami have met NYCFC 15 times, with the Pigeons winning eight times, compared to just three wins for Miami. The sides played to a draw four times.
NYCFC’s Record: New York City FC have won four games in a row many times with the chance to do it again on Sunday. They will need a victory if they want to have a chance at the club record (five) against St. Louis CITY SC on April 4.
Miami Motivation: After falling short of their stated Champions Cup dreams, will Miami maintain motivation to push for a second Supporters' Shield in three seasons and a second-straight MLS Cup?

Prediction: NYCFC 1–2 Inter Miami

New York City FC Predicted Lineup vs. Inter Miami

NYCFC vs. Inter Miam — Nicolás Fernández and Maxi Moralez have been the engine driving NYCFC’s stellar start to 2026. | FotMob

New York City FC will continue to rely on both Fernández and Moralez to lead their attacking options, as they challenge Miami’s midfield, which struggled to contain Nashville’s attackers midweek.

Outside of the two key central attackers, the Pigeons will look for a significant performance from left midfielder Keaton Parks, who on his day, can be among the best players in MLS. At the same time, the settled backline has looked stellar through four matches, allowing just three goals.

Between the sticks, U.S. men’s national team first-choice backstop Matt Freese will look for a confidence-boosting performance before joining his national team for friendlies against Portugal and Belgium in Atlanta next week.

New York City FC predicted lineup vs. Inter Miami (4-3-3): Freese; Gray, Martins, Trewin, O’Toole; O’Neill, Moralez, Parks; Ojeda, Fernández, Wolf

Inter Miami Predicted Lineup vs. New York City FC

Inter Miami rotated in last week’s clash against Charlotte FC, but there should be every expectation that manager Javier Mascherano will field a top-tier 11 on Sunday, bringing back all the key players.

Messi, who scored his 900th goal to open scoring against Nashville, begins his chase for 1,000, but will primarily act as a playmaker for Berterame, who has struggled to find scoring opportunities through his early days with the Herons.

While Messi and Berterame look to do damage up the center of the field, look for both Tadeo Allende and Mateo Silvetti to wreak havoc down the wings.

In goal, despite Rocco Ríos Novo’s positive showing against Charlotte, expect Dayne St. Clair to return, having been one of the club’s marquee offseason acquisitions.

Injuries-wise, Miami is without fullback Sergio Reguilón, who picked up a knock against Nashville as well as regular center back Maxi Falcón.

Inter Miami predicted lineup vs. New York City FC (4-2-3-1): St. Clair; Mura, Luján, Micael, Allen; De Paul, Bright; Allende, Messi, Silvetti, Berterame

What Time Does New York City FC vs. Inter Miami Kick Off?

Location: New York City, New York
Stadium: Yankee Stadium
Date: Sunday, March 22
Kick-off Time: 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT

How to Watch New York City FC vs. Inter Miami on TV, Live Stream

Country	TV/Live Stream
United States and Worldwide	Apple TV