The World Cup is coming to Miami. Here’s what to know about Lionel Messi’s adopted home area

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Welcome to South Florida, home of the three-time NBA champion Miami Heat, two-time Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins, two-time World Series champion Miami Marlins and two-time Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

Oh, and reigning MLS Cup champion Inter Miami. That means this World Cup is coming to Lionel Messi’s neighborhood.

Messi and defending champion Argentina aren’t locks to play in Miami Gardens during this World Cup; if Argentina wins Group J, as many will likely expect, it would play the runner-up from Group H in a Round of 32 game on July 3.

The only other possible pathway for Messi to play in South Florida during the World Cup is if Argentina loses a semifinal and ends up in the third-place match.

Cristiano Ronaldo’ s team, however, is certain to have at least one match in Miami Gardens. Among the teams guaranteed to play in South Florida at some point in this World Cup: Scotland, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Cape Verde, Colombia and Portugal — Ronaldo’s squad.

That is a melting pot of teams, with Asia, Africa, South America and Europe all represented.

By land and by sea, there are no shortage of ways to experience the sights and sounds of South Florida. A few key spots:

— For art, Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood is can’t-miss. It even features some one-of-a-kind soccer balls turned into artwork. Also, check out the Frost Science Museum — it’s mind-blowingly good.

— Can’t miss the beaches. Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale Beach and countless places in between, they’re all worth the trip.

— To the south are the Florida Keys, which tend to take one back in time. Some spots like Key Largo are maybe an hour’s drive from Miami; Key West is a few hours away, but is a place like none other.

Whatever you want, South Florida’s got.

The Little Havana neighborhood of Miami is the heartbeat of the city’s Cuban culture, with no shortage of places to get your fill of Ropa vieja and Cuban sandwiches. (Coffee lovers, if you’ve never had Cuban coffee, it’s a must. An acquired taste, sure, but go for it.)

There’s upscale dining everywhere, steaks, Italian, sushi, an old-timey diner on South Beach with omelets that could feed half a soccer team, street vendors, pop-up places, trendy, whatever you’re looking for. Bring patience and plan ahead — these will be busy times in Miami, a city that has lots of everything, including traffic.

A FIFA Fan Festival is planned at Miami’s Bayfront Park, with up to 30,000 fans expected daily there to watch matches on giant screens and other programming inside a giant amphitheater. Another fan zone is planned on Miami Beach and some county parks are also lining up World Cup programming and celebrations.

Be patient. Traffic is bad here when the World Cup isn’t happening. It’s even bad here when almost nothing is happening.

A couple of good options to consider would be Freebee, an on-demand electric transportation service, and the Brightline trains that connect Miami with Palm Beach County and beyond.

The good news is that the stadium’s canopy roof provides at least some protection from sun and rain, especially the seats further back from the playing surface.

But it’s Miami (Miami Gardens, technically, since the stadium is north of the actual city of Miami). It’s going to be hot. It’s going to be sunny. Drink tons of water. Wear sunblock. Wear a hat. Wear light-colored clothing.

The stadium itself is easy to get around and the sound system and video boards are top-notch. But be prepared for a long, hot day or night.

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