CHICAGO — One of the biggest regular season matches in club history could be without the star attraction - and Chicago Fire FC is quite aware of that.
With Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi dealing with an unspecified leg injury that's left his status for Wednesday's match at Soldier Field up in the air, the club has released a statement about how they plan to make good for fans if the superstar doesn't play.
Regardless of whether Messi plays or not, the Fire are offering a $250 credit towards memberships (season tickets) for the 2024 season at Soldier Field or a $50 account credit to buyers of single-game tickets to Wednesday's match.
Ticket prices from the club rose once Messi joined Inter Miami CF in July, keeping up with the trend of other clubs in MLS when they host the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner who is generally considered the greatest player in the game of soccer.
The club announced on Monday evening that the match has sold out, with over 61,000 tickets being distributed. In their news release, the Fire said they'll announce details on how ticket holders can get their credits later in the week.
“While we don’t yet know the official status of Lionel Messi’s availability for our match tomorrow, as there’s never a guarantee that an athlete will play on any given night due to several factors, we understand that many of our fans may be disappointed if they don’t get the chance to see him play," said the club in a statement. "We realize that there will be many in attendance who are coming to a Chicago Fire match at Soldier Field for the first time, and we’re excited to welcome them to the Fire Family and give them an opportunity to become long-term fans by creating a wonderful, fan-focused atmosphere."
Along with the credit on tickets, the Fire are also touting a special halftime performance along with other in-game "activations" as well.