Lionel Messi will be available for Inter Miami’s game against New England Revolution on Sunday night despite receiving his fifth yellow card of the MLS season, which would typically trigger a one-game suspension.
Messi has been cautioned on separate occasions this campaign in games against the Colorado Rapids, Orlando City, Nashville SC, Atlanta United and, most recently, Wednesday night against FC Cincinnati.
Ordinarily, that last one would keep him out of his next game, which may have been cause for consternation for fans in New England hoping to see the Argentine legend play. But for years, MLS has had a disciplinary provision that can reduce a player’s yellow-card tally if he has gone a sustained period without being cautioned.
It is a rule that usually goes unnoticed, but given Messi’s stature, it has come to light again, and it has proven particularly useful for the player and Inter Miami as the MLS regular season comes to a close.
What is the Good Behavior Incentive?
Straight from MLS’s rules and regulations, the provision reads as follows:
A player will automatically reduce his yellow card accumulation total by one yellow card each time he appears in five consecutive matches without receiving a yellow card, red card or supplemental discipline in such matches.
For clarity, a player cannot have a negative yellow card accumulation total; the Good Behavior Incentive can only reset to a zero-card total. This incentive will be automatically applied a maximum of three times throughout the course of the MLS Regular Season.
For example, if a player on his third caution of the season completes five consecutive matches without receiving a card or supplemental discipline, that player will have one yellow card caution removed from his cumulative total, leaving the player with a total of two yellow cards.
The incentive can be applied a maximum of three times during the regular season, and only takes effect once the relevant match has been completed.
How does it apply to Messi?
Messi has benefited from the provision twice this season, completing two separate five-game stretches without receiving a yellow card, red card or supplemental discipline.
Those two reductions have taken two cautions off his accumulation total. So although his latest booking against Cincinnati was his fifth of the season in terms of cards received, his official accumulation total stands at three.
That means he has not reached the five-yellow-card threshold that would trigger a suspension, and is therefore eligible to play against New England on Sunday.
Interestingly, NWSL introduced a similar provision ahead of the 2025 season, as another example of a disciplinary incentive designed to reward consistency and good behavior across North American soccer.
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What remains at stake for Messi and Inter Miami?
Miami’s playoff fate is largely sorted. It cannot top the Eastern Conference — that place belongs to Supporters’ Shield-winning Nashville — and it has all but clinched a top-four berth to secure home-field advantage in the first round. With two games to go, Miami (on 56 points) would need to be passed by both Chicago (52) and Charlotte (50) in order to tumble to fifth.
The game against New England could be key for playoff seeding. The Revolution are currently second in the East, leading Miami by two points. A Miami win would flip their positions, while a draw or loss would fortify New England’s place behind Nashville.
As for Messi, he is eyeing a second straight MLS Golden Boot and third straight MLS MVP award. With his 25 goals, he leads FC Dallas’ Petar Musa by three goals for the league’s scoring title. He is also two off the lead for the assist crown, tied with Son Heung-min with 15 assists behind FC Cincinnati’s Evander (17), Charlotte’s Pep Biel (16) and Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul (16). Messi led the league in both categories in 2025.
