Suspension Watch: Inter Miami Players In Danger Of Missing Charlotte FC Match After Leagues Cup Fight

By Sebastian Quiroz-Gutierrez

Luis Suarez shaking hands with Ashley Westwood ahead of match earlier this season Photo Courtesy of CJ Hellner

On August 31, 2025, Seattle Sounders secured a commanding 3–0 victory over Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup Final at Lumen Field. However the result was soured by a chaotic post-match brawl. Luis Suárez appeared to instigate the chaos putting Seattle’s Obed Vargas in a headlock and, in a moment captured by cameras, spitting on Sounders’ security director Gene Ramirez. Teammates Sergio Busquets delivered a punch to Vargas, while Maximiliano Falcón was seen restraining Seattle’s Cody Baker, dragging him by the neck.

Key Players Involved Who Could Face Discipline:

• Luis Suárez impulsively wrapped Vargas in a headlock and later spat at a staffer—conduct that typically draws serious disciplinary measures.

• Sergio Busquets was seen delivering a punch to Vargas, an act that could warrant a lengthy ban under Leagues Cup regulations.

• Maximiliano Falcón also played a physical role, restraining a Sounders player in a headlock—further escalating the situation.

• Marcelo Weigandt - Involved in physical altercation with multiple sounders players post match

• Tomás Avilés - Involved in physical altercation with multiple sounders players post match

Leagues Cup Review — But No MLS Power Yet:

The Leagues Cup Organizing Committee is actively reviewing the evidence and is expected to announce disciplinary decisions soon. However, any sanctions handed down by the tournament would only apply to future editions of the Leagues Cup. With both Suárez and Busquets uncertain about whether they’ll continue playing beyond 2025, punishments limited to that competition may never even take effect.

MLS Could Step In Next:

That raises the bigger question: will any bans affect this MLS season? While the Leagues Cup itself cannot impose restrictions in league play, Major League Soccer has the authority to act independently. MLS is expected to monitor the process and may choose to impose its own sanctions once the Leagues Cup verdict is released. There is precedent for the league stepping in to extend discipline across competitions, meaning suspensions for the Inter Miami players in league matches remain very much on the table. Previous cases—like Real Salt Lake coach Mike Petke’s three-game MLS suspension in 2019—demonstrate that MLS is willing to enforce consequences beyond the tournament in which the incident occurred.

Implications for September 13 Match:

Inter Miami’s possible disciplinary actions carry major implications for their upcoming clash against Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium. Charlotte, the hottest team in MLS with an eight-game winning streak, sits in third place in the Eastern Conference and is scheduled to host Miami on September 13, 2025. Missing stars like Suárez and Busquets could tip the scales even further in Charlotte’s favor.