Messi in Oviedo: 4,700 seats gone in 13 minutes, no TV cameras at the meeting, and a night flight to New York
Messi's two days in Oviedo now have a fixed timetable, the event built around him will not be televised, and Saturday's game at the Red Bulls extends a scoring run three games short of his career best.
Lionel Messi is due in Asturias on Thursday morning, and the two days that follow have now been mapped hour by hour. 1
Inter Miami play at the New York Red Bulls on Saturday evening, so the ceremony sits in the middle of a working week. 2
The Princess of Asturias Foundation published its coverage plan for the week on Monday. The plan sets out what the public will be able to see, and it leaves the session built around Messi off the television. 3
Saturday's match offers more than three points: a goal or an assist at the Red Bulls would extend a run that sits three games short of the best of his career. 4
Where he will be, and when
| In Oviedo | In Shanghai | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 22 Oct, 5:30 p.m. | Thu 22 Oct, 11:30 p.m. | Meeting with students and the public at the Palacio de los Deportes 1 |
| Fri 23 Oct, 12:30 p.m. | Fri 23 Oct, 6:30 p.m. | Audience with the Princess of Asturias at the Reconquista Hotel 5 |
| Fri 23 Oct, 6:30 p.m. | Sat 24 Oct, 12:30 a.m. | Awards ceremony at the Teatro Campoamor 3 |
| Sat 24 Oct, 5:30 p.m. ET | Sun 25 Oct, 5:30 a.m. | Inter Miami at New York Red Bulls 2 |
Marca reported a planned arrival at the Hotel de la Reconquista around noon on Thursday, with a greeting to the crowd alongside the Foundation's president. 6
The meeting will not be televised
Television cameras are barred from the Messi meeting. 3 One photographer per outlet may attend, and attendance has to be confirmed by email beforehand. The confirmation reserves no seat. 3
A ten-minute video recap will be posted around 7:30 p.m. local on Thursday, which is 1:30 a.m. on Friday in Shanghai, in the Foundation's online press room. 3
The ceremony itself gets full coverage. TVE supplies the host signal, the press boxes at the Campoamor are numbered, and the doors close half an hour before the start. 3
4,700 seats, gone in 13 minutes
The Thursday meeting was opened to the public with 4,700 free passes. They were gone in 13 minutes, with 16,200 people on the Foundation's website at the same moment. 6
The session is built around El juego del 10, a schools programme on inclusive football and values such as respect and empathy. 1
A night flight and a game in New York
Messi is expected to fly to New York after Friday's ceremony and join the squad there. 6 He would land on Saturday morning, hours before kick-off.
Kily González said last week that Messi would be available for the Red Bulls game. 7 El Comercio reported that people around Messi hint he will play, with the squad named closer to the match. 1
The Red Bulls are eighth in the Eastern Conference on 36 points. 8 FC Cincinnati are level with them in the last wild-card place, and Toronto FC and Columbus sit a point behind. 8 The Red Bulls lost 2-0 at home to Toronto on Saturday. 9
Miami are second on 55 points, three clear of New England. 8 Nashville, on 67, can seal the Supporters' Shield with a win at CF Montréal on Saturday. 9
Three games from his own record
Messi has scored or assisted in each of his last 14 games for Inter Miami and Argentina, a run of 15 goals and nine assists. 4
The longest such run of his career came in 2011, when he scored 29 and set up nine in 17 straight games for Barcelona. 4
Red Bulls, FC Cincinnati and New England are the next three fixtures, so a contribution in each would bring him level with that mark. Charlotte at home on 7 November would be the 18th game. 24
His league season stands at 25 goals in 27 appearances, five clear of Petar Musa's 20 in 26. 10 MLS credits him with 15 assists and ESPN's table with 14. 10
Also today
A new species of sage from the rocky slopes of central Peru has been named Salvia messii. It grows between 2,000 and 2,400 metres in the Lima and Ica regions, with white and pale-blue flowers. 11
The description appeared in the journal Phytotaxa, from a team at the natural history museum of San Marcos university, and the species is listed as endangered. 11
A fungus found in Salta, a Patagonian spider, a puna lizard, a prehistoric condor and a brachiopod already carry his name. 11
References
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- 2Inter Miami CF fixtures
espn.com
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- 4Messi vuelve a desafiar al tiempo
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- 8MLS 2026 standings
espn.com
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- 10MLS 2026 scoring leaders
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