Dreams came true in the 2026 edition of the Dreams Cup presented by Lowe's, hosted by the Inter Miami CF Academy.
The second edition of the largest and most ambitious youth competition organized by the Club, which took place over Memorial Weekend from May 22 to 25, delivered intense competition and thrills of the highest level as the tournament continues to leave its mark on the future of youth fútbol in the United States.
Below, let’s review some of the highlights of the 2026 Dreams Cup!
International Showcase Unlike Any Other
The second edition of the Dreams Cup featured an unprecedented number of participating teams - nearly doubling the scale of its inaugural edition. The second edition of the annual competition brought together a total 1,200 teams from around the world and featured a full-match schedule with over 1,900 fixtures played at the Florida Blue Training Center and surrounding venues in South Florida.
Record-Setting Opening Ceremony: +12,500 fans in attendance!
The 2026 Dreams Cup kicked off with a special celebration of fútbol on Friday, May 22, with the tournament’s Opening Ceremony. Fans were treated to a flag parade to get the festivities going, followed by a thrilling 3-0 victory for our Academy’s U-14 side against Pumas UNAM’s U-14 team.
The ceremony saw a record-setting 12,738 fans in attendance at Inter Miami CF Stadium — marking the largest attendance ever for an Inter Miami CF Academy event.
Dreams Cup VIP Experience
As part of this year’s Dreams Cup VIP Experience, fans enjoyed a guided stadium tour inclusive of a unique a special photo opportunity in the home locker room with a series of trophies won by captain Leo Messi throughout his career - the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Ballon d’or, 2025 MLS Golden Boot, and 2025 MLS MVP trophies!
Inter Miami CF Academy Teams Shine
Our Academy’s U-8 through U-19 categories represented the Club proudly. Notably, eight out of 11 Academy sides reached the final in their respective categories, with seven ultimately winning it all and clinching the title.
Here are some of the key highlights from our winning sides.
Inter Miami Academy U-8
Our youngest stars in competition began by topping their group with nine points and a perfect record with three wins in the U-8 Gold category. Our U-8s then earned two dominant wins to claim champions honors, defeating Florida Premier FC and Weston FC with identical 10-2 scorelines in the semifinals and final.
Inter Miami Academy U-9
The Academy’s U-9 team also began the group stage in the U-9 Gold category with a perfect record, winning each of their three matches for a total nine points. Our U-9s then overcame ATL Xpress 10-5 in the semifinals and the FC Dallas Academy 6-5 in the final to claim the crown.
Inter Miami Academy U-10
Our U-10s dominated their group in the U-11 (U-10 9v9) category with three wins for a total nine points. The team then made no mistake and followed with a 4-1 win over South Miami United FC in the semifinals and a 2-0 victory against Greater Boca YSA SFFA in the final.
Inter Miami Academy U-12
Our Academy’s U-12 team posted a perfect record with three wins in the group stage in the U-13 (U-12 11v11) category, followed by defeating One FC 4-0 in the semifinals and Coerfontaine 8-1 in the final to clinch the title.
Inter Miami Academy U-14
Three wins from three group stage matches for our U-14s to begin in the U-14 Super Group category. The title conquest was completed by overcoming Miami Futbol Rush Academy in the semifinals and One FC in the final with 2-0 scorelines in each.
Inter Miami Academy U-15
The Academy’s U-15s led their group in the U-15 Super Group category with three wins, before knocking out Galacticos Soccer Academy 4-0 in the semifinals and winning it all by defeating West Florida Flames 3-1 in the final.
Inter Miami Academy U-19
Our eldest age group in competition posted three wins to top its group in the U-18/U-19 Super Group category. Our U-19 side then eliminated Galacticos Soccer Academy 5-1 in the semifinals, and won the trophy with a 4-1 triumph over Southern Homestead Soccer Academy in the final.
For additional coverage of our teams, you can follow our Academy’s journey online via X @InterMiamiAcad and Instagram @InterMiamiCFAcademy!
