No score for Internazionale Milano Milan: Major League Soccer goes against Internazionale Milano

Major League Soccer (‘MLS’) is opposing a trade mark of Internazionale Milano (Inter Milan) regarding the name of David Beckham’s new football club Inter Miami.  On 25 March 2019, MLS filed a notice of opposition with the Trade Mark Trial and Appeal Board in the US. David Beckham along with four other co-owners founded Club Internacional de Futból Miami in 2018. The football club are due to compete in the MLS in 2020.

In 2014, Inter Milan filed a US application for the ‘inter’ mark in various classes relating to football entertainment and merchandise.  MLS have opposed the mark alleging that the ‘inter’ term is an abbreviation of “international”. MLS claims that this is a common method used worldwide by football clubs.

MLS are intending to file a US trade mark application for ‘Inter Miami CF’ and this is expected to be opposed by Inter Milan. However, since the Italian club was founded in 1908 and it is commonly referred to as ‘Inter’ or ‘Inter Milan’ all over the world, only time will tell the outcome of this dispute.  

By Fatima Amedu