Lionel Messi has been fined by Major League Soccer following his involvement in a heated incident with Philadelphia Union forward Quinn Sullivan, while teenager Cavan Sullivan has had his red card overturned after the dramatic 2–2 draw between the sides.
MLS announced the disciplinary decisions on Friday, bringing another chapter to a chaotic night in Philadelphia. Messi received an undisclosed fine for violating the league's policy concerning hands to an opponent's face, head or neck.
Inter Miami defender Ian Fray was also fined for the same violation.
Messi avoids suspension
The incident involving Messi occurred in the 101st minute of Wednesday's match.
The Inter Miami captain approached Quinn Sullivan during a stoppage in play before making contact with the back of the Philadelphia player's neck.
The referee did not issue Messi a card during the incident, but the MLS Disciplinary Committee subsequently reviewed it.
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The league ultimately opted for a financial punishment rather than a suspension.
That means Messi remains available for Inter Miami's next match.
The undisclosed fine is Messi's latest disciplinary punishment since arriving in MLS, after he was previously fined in 2025 for grabbing the neck of New York City FC assistant Mehdi Ballouchy.
Cavan Sullivan gets his red card overturned
The bigger twist came with 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan.
The Philadelphia midfielder was shown a straight red card in the 102nd minute after becoming involved in a confrontation with Inter Miami's Yannick Bright.
Bright was also sent off during the incident.
However, an Independent Review Panel unanimously overturned Sullivan's red card and accompanying one-match suspension.
The panel included representatives from U.S. Soccer, Canada Soccer and the Professional Referee Organization.
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Sullivan is therefore available for Philadelphia's next match against Austin FC.
Bright, meanwhile, remains suspended following his dismissal.
A dramatic ending to a 2–2 draw
The disciplinary decisions stem from an extraordinary ending to the match between Philadelphia and Inter Miami.
The game finished 2–2, but the football was almost overshadowed by the incidents during the closing stages.
Quinn Sullivan became involved in a confrontation with Ian Fray before Cavan entered the situation to defend his older brother.
The resulting clash eventually saw both Cavan Sullivan and Bright dismissed.
The review has now changed the consequences for the teenage Philadelphia player.
Messi's punishment raises questions
Messi escaping a suspension while receiving only a fine is likely to generate debate among supporters.
The MLS rule specifically prohibits players from putting their hands to an opponent's face, head or neck, and the league determined that Messi's action warranted disciplinary action.
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However, the committee stopped short of removing him from Inter Miami's next fixture.
For Miami, that is important. Messi remains central to their push near the top of the Eastern Conference, and keeping their captain available avoids a potentially significant sporting setback.
Sullivan can now move on
For Philadelphia, the reversal of Cavan Sullivan's red card is welcome news.
The teenager will not have to serve the original one-match suspension and can feature against Austin.
The decision also demonstrates the purpose of MLS's independent review process, with the panel finding unanimously in Sullivan's favour.
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What began as one of the most chaotic endings of the MLS season has therefore produced very different outcomes for the players involved.
Messi has been fined. Sullivan is free to play. And the debate surrounding the dramatic Philadelphia-Inter Miami clash is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
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