Inter Miami and Nashville SC Battle for Champions Cup Berth

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC are set to contest the second leg of their 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series on Wednesday at Inter Miami CF Stadium. The first leg ended in a scoreless draw at GEODIS Park in Nashville on March 11, 2026.

First Leg Recap

Nashville SC secured a 0-0 draw against Inter Miami CF in the first leg, marking the first time they have shut out the Herons since August 30, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale. Nashville SC is now 4W-0L-2D across all competitions. Goalkeeper Brian Schwake recorded his fourth clean sheet of the season and remains unbeaten in his first 11 starts for NSC.

Second Leg Details

The second leg will take place on Wednesday, March 18, at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The winner of the aggregate series will advance to the quarterfinals. MLSsoccer.com reports the match will be broadcast on FS1 (English) and TUDN (Spanish).

What’s at Stake

The prestigious continental tournament grants a spot in the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup. Nine MLS clubs are competing for these coveted positions.

Team Formations and Key Players

Inter Miami will have Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul available for this elimination game after they were rested during a 0-0 draw against Charlotte FC on Saturday. Concacaf.com notes that Nashville SC’s attacking trio of Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge, and Cristian Espinoza will appear to create chances in Fort Lauderdale. Espinoza assisted Mukhtar for the winning goal against the Columbus Crew on Saturday, marking the 25,000th regular-season goal in MLS history. Surridge has four goals in his first three MLS matches this year.

Tiebreaker Rules

If the aggregate score remains tied after the second leg, away goals will serve as the first tiebreaker. If still tied, extra time and a penalty shootout will determine the winner.

Historical Context

This is the 20th meeting in the series history between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF, making the Herons Nashville’s most frequent opponent since both clubs joined MLS in 2020. Nashville SC has never lost a Concacaf Champions Cup match at GEODIS Park, holding a record of 2W-0L-2D at the venue.