With the national championship set in Miami Gardens, all eyes are on Hard Rock Stadium. However, there’s a chance we get a rare crossover moment where the soccer world collides with college football. Since the game’s in Miami, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a few Inter Miami stars in the building. And when that roster includes the GOAT himself, Lionel Messi, the curiosity instantly increases. Will Messi show up? And if he does, who’s he backing?

Those questions might not stay unanswered for long. Messi was just spotted at a Miami mall picking up Hurricanes gear, and that’s already set social media buzzing.

Is Lionel Messi attending the College Football National Championship?

Yeah, the video was more than enough to get fans on the edge of their seats. However, the game kicks off in under two hours, and there’s still zero confirmation that Lionel Messi will be anywhere near the national championship. Kind of a buzzkill, right?

Sure, both the Hurricanes and Dolphins call Hard Rock Stadium home. But Messi’s connection to that venue outside of soccer is almost nonexistent. The only real link came back in October 2025, when Argentina played a friendly against Venezuela there. Messi trained with the squad but sat out the match, watching from the stands while resting.

Messi’s schedule is pretty packed at this point. He completed his GOAT tour in India and is fully focused on preseason training for the 2026 MLS season. Inter Miami, fresh off winning its first-ever MLS title in December 2025, is gearing up to defend the crown.

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There’s also been some talk around Inter Miami’s co-owner, Jorge Mas. He has openly floated the idea of the club playing in the Copa Libertadores. He’s even had preliminary talks with CONMEBOL. But that’s a long shot. The tournament is traditionally reserved for South American clubs, and Inter Miami isn’t expected to be involved in 2026.

On top of everything, Messi is using this preseason to test his physicality. It will play a huge role in deciding whether he suits up for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup. That alone makes it unlikely he’d pop up at a college football title game, no matter what. So yeah, seeing Messi with Canes gear was cool. But actually spotting him in the stands? That’s probably not happening.

Who are the major figures attending the game?

Waiting on Messi might be a long shot, but if you’re inside Hard Rock Stadium, you won’t be short on star power. For starters, Tom Brady is expected to be in the building. The retired NFL legend and current minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders is reportedly hosting coaching candidates in his suite during the game. So yeah, even from retirement, Brady’s still working.

Then there’s Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The Miami alum is one of the Hollywood heavyweights expected to attend, and given his ties to the school, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him soaking in the moment and repping the Canes. And it doesn’t stop with sports and entertainment. The political spotlight will be just as bright.

President Donald Trump is set to attend the game. Yes, the White House confirmed his presence to the USA TODAY Network. There’s also a personal connection here. Trump’s granddaughter, Kai Trump, recently signed with Miami’s women’s golf team during the early signing period on Nov. 12.

She even made her LPGA debut in mid-November at The Annika, becoming the youngest player in the field. Trump is expected to be joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who represented Florida in the U.S. Senate from 2011 to 2025 before joining Trump’s cabinet last year.