Lionel Messi fined after MLS clash with Philadelphia Union's Sullivan

Lionel Messi has been fined by Major League Soccer for striking Philadelphia Union midfielder Quinn Sullivan during Inter Miami’s 2-2 draw at Subaru Park. The incident occurred late in the match on August 19, 2026, after a game that ended with several disciplinary flashpoints and two stoppage-time red cards.

Messi confronted Sullivan after believing the Philadelphia midfielder had elbowed him following a challenge in which Messi had already played the ball. The players exchanged words before Messi delivered an open-handed strike around the back of Sullivan’s head and neck. Sullivan reacted angrily, but referee Filip Dujic intervened quickly and separated them.

The incident was not punished on the field. MLS later confirmed that its Disciplinary Committee had imposed a fine, announced on August 21, for prohibited contact involving an opponent’s face, head or neck area. The league did not disclose the amount, and Messi was not suspended. He therefore remained eligible for Inter Miami selection.

The Argentina international was not the only Inter Miami player sanctioned after the match. Defender Ian Fray was also fined for grabbing Sullivan by the neck during a separate confrontation in the penalty area. The dispute began after Sullivan lost his footing and became tangled with the Miami defender.

The match finished with both teams reduced in stoppage time. Inter Miami’s Yannick Bright and Philadelphia’s Cavan Sullivan, Quinn’s 16-year-old younger brother, were sent off during the disorder. Cavan Sullivan’s one-game suspension was later rescinded following a review, while the reports do not specify any change to Bright’s dismissal.

The result left Inter Miami second in the Eastern Conference, seven points behind leaders Nashville. The draw preserved Miami’s position near the top of the conference but also added disciplinary consequences to a match in which the club surrendered the opportunity to claim three points. Philadelphia took a point from the contest at home.

Messi scored Inter Miami’s second goal, his first since the death of his father, Jorge Messi. Jorge, who was 68 when he died after a long illness, had also been Lionel Messi’s agent. Messi returned to Miami after travelling to Argentina for the funeral, making his goal a notable part of his first match since the loss.

The fine is reportedly Messi’s second formal disciplinary sanction since joining MLS. He was sanctioned in February 2025 after grabbing the neck of a New York City FC assistant coach during a match. The latest case again involved contact around an opponent’s neck and head, although the committee opted for a financial penalty rather than a suspension.

Inter Miami’s next focus is therefore both competitive and disciplinary. The club remains seven points behind Nashville in the Eastern Conference, while Messi is available despite the incident. The league’s action has closed the immediate case against him with a fine, but the 2-2 draw leaves Miami continuing its pursuit of the conference leaders after a match marked by confrontations.