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Chicago Fire have offered a financial incentive for fans attending Wednesday\u2019s MLS match against Inter Miami, whose star player Lionel Messi could miss out through injury.<\/p>\n
Chicago Fire have sold more than 61,000 tickets for the game at Soldier Field.<\/p>\n
Seven-time Ballon d\u2019Or winner Messi has missed Miami\u2019s past three matches.<\/p>\n
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Fire will give $250 (\u00a3207) credit towards \u201cnew memberships for the 2024 season\u201d or $50 (\u00a341) credit to \u201csingle-game ticket buyers\u201d.<\/p>\n
They said fans would receive the credit \u201cregardless of which players are able to make an appearance on the pitch\u201d.<\/p>\n
A Fire statement read: \u201cWhile we don\u2019t yet know the official status of Lionel Messi\u2019s availability for our match tomorrow, as there\u2019s never a guarantee that an athlete will play on any given night due to several factors, we understand that many of our fans may be disappointed if they don\u2019t get the chance to see him play.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe realise that there will be many in attendance who are coming to a Chicago Fire match at Soldier Field for the first time, and we\u2019re excited to welcome them to the Fire Family and give them an opportunity to become long-term fans by creating a wonderful, fan-focused atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fire\u2019s highest attendance at Soldier Field 37,122, against LA Galaxy in their inaugural season in 1998.<\/p>\n
Argentina\u2019s World Cup winner Messi has played once in six games for Miami since 3 September and watched their\u00a02-1 defeat by Houston Dynamo\u00a0in the final of the US Open Cup last week from the stands.<\/p>\n
Messi, 36, signed for Miami in July after his contract with Paris St-Germain expired.<\/p>\n
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