Lionel Messi sells out FC Dallas tickets

North Texans will get to watch the GOAT in person this Sunday, for the first time since he joined Major League Soccer.

Driving the news: Inter Miami CF and FC Dallas will compete for a Top 8 spot in the Leagues Cup, which features teams from MLS and Liga MX.

• The matchup became official Wednesday night, after FC Dallas beat Mexico's Mazatlán FC 2-1.

The big picture: Major League Soccer has been around since the 1990s, but getting Lionel Messi to play in the U.S. has been its biggest move yet.

• Serena Williams, Kim Kardashian and LeBron James were among the celebrities who attended his first MLS match last month.

State of play: Messi has five goals in three games for Miami. Sunday will be his first time playing outside Florida since joining MLS.

• He'll face two other Argentine players on the Dallas team, Alan Velasco and Facundo Quignón.

The intrigue: Tickets for Sunday's game went on sale Thursday morning and were snatched up within an hour.

• FC Dallas tickets usually cost under $40. Sunday's tickets were selling for hundreds of dollars at face value, and retail prices were over $650.

Yes, but: The game will be broadcast on Apple TV+, with the MLS season pass.

What they're saying: "At the beginning of the tournament, I was not expecting us to take on Inter Miami CF … It will be a dream to play against Messi," FC Dallas forward Velasco said during a recent interview.

💭 Our thought bubble: Wonder if Messi will check out H-E-B or Buc-ee's with his family while he's here.