Messi to MLS shows 'no ceiling' for football in North America, claims Victor Montagliani
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Inter Miami unveil Lionel Messi as new signing
Lionel Messi's arrival in Major League Soccer proves there is "no ceiling" for the game in North America, says the continent's chief football administrator.
On Sunday, Messi will be unveiled to fans at an event held by his new club Inter Miami, while in Los Angeles a sell-out 70,000 crowd will watch Mexico face Panama in the Gold Cup final at the SoFi Stadium.
Victor Montagliani, president of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), believes it is a moment to change the perception of football in the region.
"Everyone has always looked at our region as the future of football," he told BBC Sport.
"But our region is also the present in terms of our leagues, our clubs, our competition and what we bring to the table from a global standpoint.
"This is just the beginning. There is no ceiling for the growth of the game in our region.
"Having Lionel Messi in MLS is a tremendous boost.
"Not only is he the best player in the world on the pitch but off it he has been a tremendous ambassador to the game. It is not just the bigger picture in terms of the league - and it is a tremendous boost to the league. At the micro level, you can see tickets have gone through the roof for visiting teams."
While Messi will generate huge interest in every match he plays, this month's Gold Cup is also the start of a sequence of major tournaments held in North America, including the Copa America in 2024 and the first 32-team Club World Cup in 2025, which leads to the 2026 World Cup held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Solving the fixture calendar puzzle
Premier League teams Chelsea and Manchester City, plus Real Madrid, have booked their places in the expanded Club World Cup, which will be played in June 2025 and is almost certain to overlap that year's edition of the Gold Cup.
Twelve spots have been reserved for European teams, which is bound to bring more debate around the pressure being placed on elite players.
Montagliani claims almost all clubs and countries want more football, saying only the elite teams - who also generate most of the TV income - feel there is too much strain being placed on them.
He feels a solution to the calendar issue can only be achieved through discussions with all stakeholders.
"From a global standpoint, the expanded Club World Cup is a positive thing," he said. "If you have a World Cup on the national team front, why you wouldn't have one on the club front? The fans are going to love it.
"On the calendar issue specifically, the reality is it is not just the international matches. That is only five windows. There are other issues with the calendar, whether it is at club level when you are touring all over the place, domestic cups and replays of cups. Those are all things that have to be discussed as we move forward.
"Where are the touch points where you could alleviate some of the pressure on the players? It's not one stakeholder who is at fault for the congestion, keeping in mind that for the vast majority if the world, congestion is not an issue."