Messi madness sells out Charlotte FC vs. Inter Miami matchup Uptown

State of play: Roughly 35,000 fans are expected to fill the lower bowl Saturday, Sept. 13, according to a team spokesperson.

• Instead of having fans scattered throughout the entire stadium, the plan is to pack the lower bowl — an approach that creates a loud and visually vibrant atmosphere, and that is more profitable since fewer employees and resources are needed to deploy to the upper deck.
• The matchup is expected to be the largest lower bowl crowd in club history.

By the numbers: Tickets through the club have sold out and are only available through the secondary market. Resale tickets start at $134.20 and go as high as $1,830.

The intrigue: Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith won't be on the sidelines for Saturday's match due to yellow card accumulation. Associate head coach Miles Joseph will step in during Smith's one-game suspension on Saturday.

If you go: Tailgating starts at 3:30pm. Stadium gates open at 5:30pm. Fans will march to the stadium from the tailgate spot off at 703 McNinch St. behind the stadium at 6:30pm. The game kicks off at 7:30pm.

Go deeper: How to tailgate for Charlotte FC matches

The bottom line: Charlotte FC is the best pro team in town right now at 16-11-2, third in the Eastern Conference.

What we're watching: A win this weekend for Charlotte and a New York Red Bulls loss or draw against Portland Timbers, and Charlotte FC will punch its ticket to the playoffs for the third straight season.

• Charlotte FC has five regular-season matches left. Three will be played at Bank of America Stadium.