Your chances of seeing Messi play in D.C.

• Tickets are already selling hot, with the cheapest starting at $162 on Ticketmaster, up from the typical $30.

Yes, but: Messi’s debut will be a guessing game — he’s expected to start playing sometime in early July, but there's no set date.

What they’re saying: “It'd be nice if we were his first opponents for D.C. fans to see him up close and for us to challenge ourselves against him,” said D.C. United manager Wayne Rooney.

💭 Cuneyt’s thought bubble: This recalls the anticipation over the timing of David Beckham's MLS debut in 2007.

• It happened to be at a sold-out RFK Stadium when the England sensation came on as a substitute.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the ticket price as of June 14.