Messi and Inter Miami battle Vancouver in warmest MLS Cup final ever, 84 degrees at kickoff

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are playing in the warmest MLS Cup final in the league’s history.

The game-time temperature in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday was 84 degrees (28 degrees Celsius) at kickoff of Inter Miami’s match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, according to the National Weather Service.

Add in the 60% relative humidity, and that made the heat index feel like 87 degrees (30 degrees Celsius). The teams caught a bit of a break on a very sunny day; the bench areas were shrouded by clouds long before kickoff, but most fan seats were in the direct sun when the match began.

It was unseasonably warm, even for South Florida. The typical high temperature at this time of year is around 78 degrees (26 degrees Celsius).

The previous record for hottest MLS Cup final, according to the league, was an 81-degree (27-degree Celsius) game time temperature in 2004, when D.C. United beat Kansas City 3-2 at Carson, California.

Vancouver was considerably cooler on Saturday, as would be expected. The temperature there at kickoff time was 50 degrees (10 degrees Celsius).

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer