Major League Soccer has suspended Inter Miami striker Luis Suárez for three league matches following a spitting incident after the Leagues Cup final against the Seattle Sounders. The altercation occurred during a mass brawl that erupted at the final whistle, with Suárez initially placing Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas in a headlock before later being caught on camera spitting at Sounders security director Gene Ramirez.
In addition to Suárez's ban, Sounders team psychologist Steven Lenhart, a former MLS player, had his credential revoked for the remainder of the 2025 season due to his involvement in the melee. Notably, Inter Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets escaped MLS punishment despite footage showing him raising a hand to Vargas’s face, which contributed to the escalation.
The MLS suspension means Suárez will miss crucial games for Inter Miami as they seek to improve their playoff seeding. The 38-year-old will be absent from matches against Charlotte FC on 13 September, a rematch with the Sounders on 16 September, and a home game against DC United on 20 September. Miami currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference, four points away from home-field advantage in the first round.
The Leagues Cup itself had imposed a six-game ban on Suárez, two games on Busquets, five on Lenhart, and three on Inter Miami defender Tomás Áviles. However, with Suárez and Busquets both aged 37 or older and their contracts expiring at the end of the season, it is possible they will not serve those suspensions. Suárez posted an apology on Instagram, stating that his actions were a moment of great tension and frustration, and that he was wrong and sincerely regrets it.
