FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – For a brief period during Saturday’s Eastern Conference Final, Inter Miami CF’s dream of hosting MLS Cup 2025 presented by Audi looked to be in jeopardy.

That moment was quickly and thoroughly forgotten, however, as the Herons erupted for three second-half goals to cruise to a 5-1 rout of New York City FC at Chase Stadium.

Miami will now welcome Western Conference champions Vancouver Whitecaps FC to Chase Stadium on Dec. 6 for the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy (2:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV; FOX, FOX Deportes; TSN, RDS).

“We’re working with a clear idea: to make history with this club,” midfielder Rodrigo De Paul told Apple TV post-match. “This is an extremely happy moment.”

Championship profile

As tricky an opponent as NYCFC were on Saturday, Miami would not be denied. Not with the chance to host MLS Cup on Dec. 6 so close.

Led by a Tadeo Allende hat trick, and additional goals from Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia, the Herons delivered their third straight blowout victory of the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs to advance to next weekend's title match.

It’s a fitting season finale for a club built precisely for these occasions.

After reaching this year’s Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals, the Leagues Cup final and the FIFA Club World Cup knockout stages, the Herons are determined to close 2025 by lifting MLS's grandest prize.

“Today will go down in club history as the day we become conference champions. This isn’t a minor detail,” head coach Javier Mascherano told reporters.

“But the most important thing, the main dish, is on Saturday.”

Trophy ambitions

Those words exemplify the culture of a club that wears their ambition on its sleeve, from the transformative July 2023 signing of Lionel Messi to the construction of Miami Freedom Park, their new state-of-the-art stadium set to open in April 2026.

The Herons even went all out for Saturday’s celebrations, with superstar world tennis No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz delivering the Eastern Conference champion trophy to managing owner Jorge Mas and Messi.

“Two, three years ago, before Messi came here, you look around in the stadium, we had (fewer) people show up,” homegrown defender Ian Fray told Apple TV.

“And then the start of this game, the stadium's full, sold out, everyone's chanting – it's so beautiful to see. I've been here since the beginning, and to see something like this, to have us go to the final, is unreal. It's a dream come true.”

One more to go

MLS Cup will raise the stakes that much higher for a Miami side that's already won silverware during the Messi era, capturing Leagues Cup 2023 and a record-setting 2024 Supporters’ Shield.

“Like I said the day I arrived, I came to the club to try to win titles, to compete,” said De Paul, who joined the Herons in July from LaLiga giants Atlético Madrid. “We were close in [this year’s] Leagues Cup… and now we have another final. So I’m happy.”

Fellow Argentine Silvetti, who took a starting XI role from legendary striker Luis Suárez in the playoffs, echoed that sentiment.

"Personally, this is very important," said the 19-year-old, who's contributed 2g/3a during the postseason. "Achieving this at such a young age, I really value this. Especially for the club, it's something really beautiful."

However, as Mas reminded the Chase Stadium crowd during Saturday's trophy celebration, it's not quite mission accomplished yet for Miami.

"This is only one down. We have one to go," said Mas. "Uno más."