While another Major League Soccer team that plays in an NFL stadium could enjoy a record-setting crowd, an intriguing (dare we say a way-too-early MLS Cup preview?) will be taking place at Red Bull Arena.
A crowd of more than 60,000 could populate the seats at the "House that Tom Brady Built"* to watch Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF take on the local soccer football club, the New England Revolution. The fans on hand will witness a matchup between the team leading the Eastern Conference facing one that is in strong contention for the Wooden Spoon award. While Messi's game-playing status appears probable, despite the fact that Gillette Stadium has an artificial turf field, Luis Suárez seems less likely.
The highest-attended MLS game at Gillette Stadium was the 2002 MLS Cup, when 61,316 fans watched the LA Galaxy defeat the Revolution 1-0 on a 113th minute golden goal by Carlos Ruiz. The highest-attended soccer game of any kind at Gillette Stadium was an international friendly between Brazil and Mexico in 2007 that drew 67,584 fans.
Two weeks ago, Messi and Miami played in front of 72,610 fans at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium, home of the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Messi scored a goal in Miami's thrilling 3-2 win over Sporting Kansas City. It was the fourth-highest attended game in MLS history (the 82,110 that saw the Galaxy and LAFC at the Rose Bowl on July 4, 2023 is the current standard).
Further down the Eastern seaboard another legacy MLS club will be hosting a match of interest. The New York Red Bulls will take on the Vancouver Whitecaps in a matchup of two of the league's most surprising teams so far. Each is challenging more celebrated sides atop of their respective conferences.
WATCH: Messi and Inter Miami at New England on Apple TV
TICKETS: See Messi and Inter Miami take on the New England Revolution at Gillete Stadium
SHOP: Get the latest Messi and Inter Miami gear from the MLS store
(All games available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.)
Saturday
➤ 2024 MLS schedule and scores
Two teams that would be at or near the top of anybody's "most surprising MLS teams so far in 2024" list meet at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. The Red Bulls sit just two points behind Eastern Conference-leading Inter Miami. The Whitecaps are just two points behind the Western Conference-leading Galaxy. Both RBNY and the Whitecaps have a game in hand on their respective conference leaders. Red Bulls newcomer Emil Forsberg added his second goal of the second in last week's 2-2 draw at LAFC. The Whitecaps are coming off a clinical 2-0 win over the Cascadia rival Seattle Sounders.
All Major League Soccer games air on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Some select games are available for free on Apple TV and viewers only need an Apple ID to watch.
FOX Sports will air select games on linear television.
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, opened in 2002, the season after Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to an improbable win over the heavily favored St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. Brady was only in his second season as a starting quarterback when the team moved from erector-set Foxboro Stadium and into the modern Gillette Stadium. So to say it was the "House that Tom Brady Built" might be a stretch. However, it is at the very least the "House that Tom Brady Decorated" given the six Super Bowl wins the Patriots enjoyed with Brady as the team's quarterback.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY operates independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
