2026 Colorado Rapids Schedule – Messi in Colorado?

Commerce City, CO– The Colorado Rapids announced their schedule for the 2026 MLS season, the last season to have the spring-to-fall schedule. Starting on February 22nd in Seattle and ending on November 7th in Dallas, the Rapids have some big games in between. See the schedule below:

The biggest game and the one that will get the most news in the Colorado area is the April 18th matchup that will see Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF come to Colorado. It felt like it would never happen, but the league has scheduled the impossible. Miami will be without other Barcelona legends, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, as the pair have announced their retirements from the sport. Messi has signed a multi-year extension; however, if he stays fit and isn’t rested, he will make his first appearance in Colorado. 

The match could be at Mile High Stadium. It will be an afternoon kickoff. It has a good chance of getting a good crowd. The Rapids are celebrating their 30th anniversary in that match. Which would make it a little weird if the crowd is as Messi-heavy as I expect. Being at Mile High would make it the second big soccer game there. The Denver Summit’s first-ever home game will also take place at the Broncos’ stadium. 

Regarding the Argentine forward, his availability for a match in Colorado is still up in the air. He hasn’t exactly been the pinnacle of availability in his time in MLS. The altitude can be a factor, especially if Miami has a condensed schedule around mid-April if Conca Champions is still doing. It would be good for the Rapids’ chances of winning if he doesn’t show. But it would probably be best for the team if Messi plays in Colorado. Just have to hope the Rapids host Messi the right way, and don’t market this game as a Messi game. 

Colorado getting a Messi home game is a surprise given where the club is in the MLS hierarchy. Sources tell Burgundy Wave that MLS might have done the club a favor to help elevate them. The Rapids are still struggling for local relevance. Hopefully the Rapids can use this to get some visibility and not just as a cash grab from the casual Messi fan. Another source suggested the game will be DICK’s. That would make tickets more expensive but probably make for fewer Messi homers.

Other important games are the two against Real Salt Lake. The first game is at RSL on May 16th. The second is at home on August 29th. The Rocky Mountain Cup is always important, and Colorado will be looking to go back-to-back-to-back in 2026. Colorado will be without the 2-for-2 RMC head coach, Chris Armas. It will be something to watch to see how the new coach handles this rivalry. 

The second leg being at DICK’s on Labor Day weekend means the annual Phish concert won’t be coming, at least not that weekend, for the second year in a row.

It’s going to be a Cascadia start to life in 2026. Colorado starts the season in Seattle on the 22nd of February, then comes back home and plays the Portland Timbers in the home opener the next week on the 28th. It’s interesting to note that the season opener is on Sunday this season. Colorado could be starting the season a day later than most clubs. Either way, the Rapids will hope not to start the season the way they did in 2023. Losing 4-0 to Seattle in Seattle. It will be the third season in the last four, starting in Cascadia. The Rapids will try to avoid another big loss after losing to Portland 4-1 in 2024.

It is the same format in terms of who plays whom as last season. The Rapids will play each Western Conference team home and away, and play a handful of Eastern Conference teams. This season, the Rapids will host Inter Miami, CF Montreal, and Chicago Fire, while visiting NYCFC, Toronto, and Columbus Crew. 

The most notable game on that list, aside from the Miami game, is the Toronto fixture. It will mark the first time the Rapids will play against Djordje Mihailović since his unceremonious exit in the middle of last season. The match is in Toronto, so no homecoming for Djordje, but it will have a lot of pride on the line, especially after all of Djordje’s comments during his exit. It will be an easy way to fire up the team. Also, Robin Fraser is there. Hard to see him being fired before the April 4th matchup. 

It is also worth noting that the Rapids will not have their usual home game on July 4th, as there is a long break for the World Cup between May 23rd and July 22nd. The two-month break is tough for MLS to fit around, and it has led to one of the longest regular seasons in MLS history, running from late February to early November. Colorado will be away to FC Dallas to end the season on November 7th. 

MLS recently switched to all games on Apple TV+ instead of the separate MLS Season Pass, and all Rapids games will be streamed on Apple TV and Altitude Sports Radio.

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