Casemiro Joins Inter Miami; MLS Investigates Tampering

Inter Miami announced the signing of Brazil midfielder and five-time Champions League winner Casemiro on July 22, 2026. Major League Soccer (MLS) is now investigating whether the reigning league champion engaged in tampering to finalize the deal. The 34-year-old Casemiro, who appeared in all five of Brazil's matches at the 2026 World Cup and scored a goal against Japan in the round of 32, has agreed to a contract with Inter Miami that runs through the end of the 2027 sprint season, with an option for extension through June 2029.

MLS is officially transitioning from its traditional spring-to-fall schedule to an international-style summer-to-spring calendar, which will run from July through May. To connect the gap between the 2026 season and the start of the full 2027–28 season, MLS established the 2027 Sprint Season, a one-time truncated 14-match tournament running from February to May 2027.

Casemiro's discovery rights were held by the LA Galaxy, which would have typically prevented Inter Miami from negotiating with him under league rules. The teams reached a settlement allowing Inter Miami to finalize the long-anticipated signing, but the league continues to investigate the tampering allegations. "The league is gathering all relevant information and will refrain from further comment until the review is complete," stated MLS. "While Inter Miami CF and the LA Galaxy have reached a settlement for the Discovery Priority to sign Casemiro, the terms will be released upon conclusion of the tampering investigation."

It remains unclear when Casemiro will debut for Inter Miami as he is still waiting on the necessary visa. He spent the past four seasons with Manchester United, and prior to that, the bulk of his professional career was with Real Madrid. "He is a winner who has achieved so much in the game, and after such an incredible career with Real Madrid and Manchester United, I’m delighted that he’s decided to make Miami his next home," said Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham. The Associated Press contributed to this report.