Revolution see record sales with Lionel Messi coming to Gillette

When soccer icon Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami travel to Gillette Stadium on April 27, the Revolution are expected to smash the club’s previous attendance record.

According to figures released by the Revolution on Wednesday, “over 60,000 tickets” have so far been sold for the game against the star-powered Florida MLS side.

Messi, 36, has already proven to be a major draw in the U.S. Since arriving in Miami in 2023, the Argentine World Cup winner has driven up attendance figures all over the country.

New England looks set to continue the trend. The previous record for a Revolution game came on April 20, 1997, when 57,407 turned up to watch the local team face the Tampa Bay Mutiny as part of a doubleheader that included a U.S. men’s World Cup qualifier against Mexico.

The biggest number for the Revolution inside Gillette Stadium (which opened in 2002) was 42,947 in a 1-0 loss against Montreal in Oct. 2015. The stadium’s maximum capacity is listed at 64,628.

Messi, who has been joined by several former Barcelona teammates in Miami including goal-scoring forward Luis Suarez, has generally lived up to the hype for each of the packed crowds he’s played in front of. He totaled 11 goals in 14 games across all competitions in 2023 (helping Miami win the inaugural edition of the Leagues Cup), and has so far notched five goals in five games in 2024 (between MLS regular season and CONCACAF Champions Cup).

Whether or not he plays in the April 27 game at Gillette Stadium (kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.) remains to be seen. While the usage of turf instead of natural grass has proven to be a reason to stay away for star players in the past when traveling to New England, Messi has so far taken a different approach.

After arriving in Miami in 2023, Messi told reporters that he played on turf in his youth and had “no problem adapting myself again.” He has since played a full 90 minutes on turf one time (against Charlotte in the regular season finale last October).

The greater concern over Messi’s availability against New England could come in the form of the Champions Cup. Should Miami advance to the semifinals of the competition (Messi’s team currently faces Monterey in the quarterfinals) it would mean two additional games in the days before and after the visit to New England, according to CONCACAF’s schedule.

In that scenario, Messi might not play against the Revolution (or at least not start) if Miami head coach Gerardo Martino opts to rest him for the midweek Champions Cup games.