CHICAGO — Lionel Messi announced Wednesday that he will join Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami in another landmark moment for the league and the sport in the United States.

After months — years, even — of speculation, Messi on Wednesday finally revealed his decision to join a Miami franchise that has been led by another global soccer icon, David Beckham, since its inception but has yet to make any real splashes on the field.

He said in the interviews Wednesday that some final details still need to be worked out, but that he has made the call to “continue my path” in Miami.

“After winning the World Cup and not being able to return to Barcelona, it was my turn to go to the league of the United States to live football in another way,” Messi said.

Messi’s next matches are likely to be exhibitions with Argentina against Australia on June 15 at Beijing and at Indonesia in Jakarta four days later — and then his Inter Miami debut figures to be sometime in July.

The superstar from Argentina will be joining names like Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyuff, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney, and Inter Miami FC co-owner David Beckham as being the latest big-name international player to bring his talents to the U.S.

Ticket prices around the MLS soared after the news that Messi was planning to continue playing soccer professionally in the United States.

Messi and the Inter Miami FC will take on the Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field this fall. The match is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 4.

Chicago played Miami in the beginning of the season when the Fire went down to Florida to secure a 3-2 victory.

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The Associated Press contributed to this article.