Scotland and Brazil are playing tonight at Miami Stadium, and downtown is buzzing with World Cup energy you can feel from blocks away. The week ahead is stacked with concerts, sports, and the kind of summer nights that remind you why you live here. Let's get into it.

— Matthew Larsen

World Cup Fan Festival at Bayfront Park Running Through July 5 – The FIFA Fan Festival has transformed 436,000 square feet of Bayfront Park waterfront into the city's World Cup hub through July 5, with free entry, 88 live match broadcasts on giant screens, three entertainment stages, and up to 30,000 fans per day expected through the tournament. Metrorail and Metromover are running until midnight throughout Fan Fest to handle the crowds.

Brush Fires Near Full Containment After Burning More Than 19,000 Acres in West Miami-Dade – The Quarry 2 and Well fires that erupted near the Everglades last week burned over 19,000 acres combined and forced major road closures, evacuations, and air quality alerts across the region. The Florida Turnpike and Krome Avenue have since reopened, with the remaining Coptic Fire at 60 percent containment as of Sunday.

Florida Homestead Exemption Amendment on November Ballot After Legislative Passage – The state legislature passed the "Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes" amendment in early June, which would raise the homestead exemption from $50,000 to $250,000 by 2028 if voters approve it by 60 percent in November. Critics warn the measure could reduce annual revenue to local governments by more than $8 billion a year, with Miami-Dade and Broward homeowners estimating average savings of $1,500 to $1,800 annually.

Miami-Dade Moves to Take Fisher Island Fuel Facility by Eminent Domain – Commissioners authorized Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to pursue eminent domain acquisition of a nearly 100-year-old marine fuel facility on Fisher Island, which serves PortMiami but is now owned by a Chicago developer with plans for luxury condos. The county's appraisals of the property range from $25 million to $430 million, and the developer has said he will fight the seizure.

SW Miami-Dade Carjacking Suspect Faces Attempted Felony Murder Charges – Alejandro Martinez, 33, was charged with attempted felony murder and multiple armed robbery counts after a crime spree on June 18 that began with a beating and stabbing near Bird Road and spread through West Kendall and the Hammocks. Three victims were hospitalized, one in critical condition.

Miami Beach Officer Miona Mijalkovic Recovering After ATV Crash – Footage obtained by multiple outlets shows the moment Officer Miona Mijalkovic's ATV struck a curb and rolled at Ninth Street and Meridian Avenue while she was racing to a burglary call. She was in critical condition after the June 17 crash but has since stabilized, with the Miami Beach Police Department confirming she is in good spirits.

Casemiro Seals Move to Inter Miami, Will Join After World Cup – Casemiro formally agreed to join Inter Miami as a free agent after reaching a settlement with LA Galaxy over MLS discovery rights. The veteran Brazilian midfielder chose Miami over Saudi Arabia and Serie A interest, citing the chance to play alongside Lionel Messi, and will arrive during the secondary transfer window running July 13 to September 2.

US Advances Through World Cup Group D, Showdown With Turkey on June 25 – The United States beat Australia 2-0 on June 19, going 2-0 in group play and needing only a draw against Turkey in Los Angeles on Thursday night to clinch first in Group D. South Florida watch parties are already organizing for the 10pm kickoff.

Congressional Race Heats Up for Frederica Wilson's Seat – Seven Democrats are competing for Florida's 24th Congressional District in an August primary to succeed longtime Miami Congresswoman Frederica Wilson. Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert is one of the most prominent candidates, and the winner is widely expected to win the general in this heavily Democratic seat.

Miami-Dade Mental Health Center Gets Go-Ahead After 22 Years of Delays – The seven-story Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery, which has sat fully built and certified for occupancy since 2023 but empty due to funding disputes, received unanimous commission approval to open on June 17. The facility will treat up to 75 residents at a time and is expected to divert hundreds of people with serious mental illness out of the county jail system annually.

Wed, Jun 24, 6pm: Scotland vs. Brazil at Miami Stadium – Tonight's Group C match is one of the most anticipated World Cup games to hit South Florida this summer, with Brazil entering on a 3-0 win over Haiti and Scotland fighting for survival. Tickets available on secondary market.

Wed, Jun 24, 5:30pm: Dayme Arocena at Faena Theater, Mid-Beach – Cuban jazz vocalist Dayme Arocena performs at the gilded Faena Theater at 3201 Collins Avenue, one of the most atmospheric small rooms in the city. Tickets available at the Faena Theater box office.

Wed, Jun 24: Mochakk and Barry Can't Swim at Club Space – A heavyweight back-to-back in underground house and dance music plays Club Space in downtown Miami tonight. Tickets online.

Thu, Jun 25, 7pm: Palomino Blond, Laughing Corpse, Cypher, and Ballpark at Churchill's Pub – A full rock and indie night at Churchill's Pub in Little Haiti, the legendary dive that has hosted local bands since 1979. Tickets available online.

Thu, Jun 25: USA vs. Turkey World Cup Watch Party at Bayfront Park Fan Festival – Team USA faces Turkey at 10pm ET with a place atop Group D on the line. The FIFA Fan Festival at Bayfront Park is the best free option in the city to watch with thousands of fellow fans.

Fri, Jun 26, outdoor: Thievery Corporation and City of the Sun at Miami Beach Bandshell – One of the best live acts in ambient and trip-hop music plays the outdoor Bandshell at 7701 Collins Avenue as part of the World Cup concert series. Check the Bandshell box office for tickets.

Fri, Jun 26, 11pm: Gorgon City at LIV Nightclub, South Beach – UK house duo Gorgon City closes out the week with a late set at LIV, one of Miami Beach's best-known club rooms. Tickets at ticketmaster.

Sat, Jun 27, 7:30pm: Colombia vs. Portugal at Miami Stadium – Miami Stadium hosts the Group F closer between two soccer powerhouses. This is one of the last group stage matches to be played here this week. FIFA's official ticket portal has remaining options.

Sat, Jun 27, 5pm: Summer Fridays at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens – The June installment of Vizcaya's Summer Fridays evening series runs with rotating DJ sets, live artist demonstrations, and drinks and appetizers from local vendors. The villa's Main House is open until 7:30pm and the gardens until 8pm. Admission required.

Sat-Sun: Marlins at Cardinals in St. Louis – The Fish are on the road this weekend. Catch the games Saturday at 5:15pm and Sunday at 12:15pm on Bally Sports.

Ongoing: Get in the Game: Sports, Art, Culture at PAMM – Pérez Art Museum Miami is running an exhibition featuring more than 100 works by global artists exploring the intersection of sport, culture, and identity. On the Biscayne Bay waterfront in downtown, with admission at pamm.

Ongoing: Extreme Sports: Beyond Human Limits at Frost Science – The interactive summer exhibition at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science downtown covers the science behind wingsuit flying, freediving, parkour, and ice climbing with hands-on stations. Included with museum admission.

Ongoing: Deering Estate Daily Nature Walks, Palmetto Bay – The Deering Estate at 16701 SW 72nd Avenue is open daily through the summer with guided walks at 11:30am through its coastal ecosystems and historic houses. Tickets at deeringestate.

Stand, Coral Gables – Chef Shingo Akikuni's 24-seat Japanese kissaten opened June 4 at 98 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables, serving matcha, single-origin coffee, and milk bread sandos by day with plans to shift into an evening izakaya later this year. Reservations and walk-ins available.

Manoli, Coconut Grove – Greek restaurant Manoli opened this summer at 3540 Main Hwy, where Michelin-trained chef Emmanouil Aslanoglou is doing shared plates like crispy feta in phyllo, gyro tacos with Black Angus ribeye, and a tableside dessert trolley with housemade baklava. The 140-seat room in white and soft blue is already busy.

Gangnam, Brickell – Casual Korean restaurant Gangnam has landed in Brickell with lunch specials, beef bulgogi and jeyuk bokkeum rice bowls, pork dumplings, and Korean BBQ platters at accessible weekday prices. A good option for the downtown lunch crowd.

25-Year South Beach Institution Closing by June 27 – A restaurant that has operated continuously for 25 years on South Beach is closing to make way for hotel development, with the June 27 deadline imminent. No successor tenant has been announced for the space.

Upscale Brazilian Steakhouse Opens Downtown – A new Brazilian churrascaria has opened in the former Sparky's Barbecue space downtown, operating with a pay-by-weight model, a salad bar, and meats carved to order at a service window including picanha, skirt steak, and ribs.

Lovecat Bar at Zoko Collective, Allapattah – A new cocktail bar called Lovecat has opened inside the emerging Zoko Collective food hall in Allapattah, offering well-crafted drinks for around $15 in one of Miami's fastest-evolving neighborhoods.

Pizza Tropical Relocates to MiMo – The beloved natural-wine pizza spot that operated inside Gramps in Wynwood has relocated to Miami Modern (MiMo) with a new patio, keeping its NY-style pies and slices intact. For fans of the original, it is worth the drive north.

Marlins Sweep Giants at Home, Now 38-36 on the Season – Miami took three straight from San Francisco over the weekend to move above .500, including a 6-3 win Saturday that was the kind of game the loanDepot faithful showed up for. The Rangers series starts Monday with first pitch at 6:40pm.

Scotland vs. Brazil at Miami Stadium Tonight, 6pm – Brazil is the favorite on paper but Scotland's defense has shown character, and with the Tartan Army in the stands on Collins Avenue, this crowd will be anything but quiet. Watch parties are everywhere if you missed out on tickets.

Colombia vs. Portugal at Miami Stadium Saturday, 7:30pm – One of the most talent-rich matchups of the group stage comes to Hard Rock Saturday night, pitting Luiz Diaz and Colombia's attacking depth against the Portuguese squad. Remaining tickets available through FIFA's official portal.

USA vs. Turkey Thursday Night, 10pm ET – Team USA plays their decisive Group D match against Turkey at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Thursday. A win clinches the group outright, while a draw is enough to advance. Watch at the Fan Festival downtown or any South Florida sports bar.

Casemiro to Join Inter Miami This Summer – With the MLS secondary transfer window running July 13 to September 2, Inter Miami is expected to formally announce the signing of former Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro in the coming weeks. Miami midfielder Telasco Segovia said publicly he believes Casemiro will quote give them so much.

Wed, Jun 24 – Partly cloudy and humid, high 90°F, low 82°F, 30% chance of scattered storms.

Thu, Jun 25 – Mostly sunny, high 90°F, low 81°F, 25% chance of late afternoon storms.

Fri, Jun 26 – Partly cloudy, high 90°F, low 81°F, 30% chance of afternoon showers.

Sat, Jun 27 – Partly cloudy, high 90°F, low 81°F, 30% chance of storms.

Sun, Jun 28 – Partly cloudy, high 90°F, low 81°F, 30% chance of afternoon showers.

Mon, Jun 29 – Partly cloudy, high 90°F, low 81°F, 25% chance of scattered showers.

Tue, Jun 30 – Partly cloudy, high 88°F, low 81°F, 30% chance of afternoon rain.

Ariete, Coconut Grove – Michael Beltran's celebrated Cuban-American fine dining spot on Main Highway is running a summer $65 prix-fixe through August that includes bluefin tuna conserva, braised goat agnolotti, and the always-present tableside pressed duck. One of Miami's best meals for the price this time of year.

Zoo Miami, South Miami-Dade – Zoo Miami at 12400 SW 152nd Street is South Florida's only zoo and one of the largest in the country, home to more than 3,000 animals in a naturalistic open-air setting. Summer hours and admission tickets available at zoomiami’s website.

Carbone Vino, Coconut Grove – The more intimate South Florida sibling of the famous red-sauce institution sits on the Coconut Grove strip with a wine list running over 3,000 bottles deep and a room that feels properly grown-up without the South Beach noise level. Walk-in bar seating is often available if you cannot get a reservation.

Allapattah – Allapattah runs along NW 17th Avenue and the western edge of Wynwood and has become one of Miami's most quietly compelling neighborhoods, home to the Rubell Museum, an emerging dining corridor, and a density of working studios and art spaces that has attracted serious Miami collectors. It is still rough in parts, which is exactly what makes it interesting.

City of South Miami Incorporation, June 24, 1927 – On this date in 1927, the Town of South Miami formally ceased to exist when Florida lawmakers approved a new city charter, officially creating the City of South Miami. The city had grown from a small agricultural community just south of the county seat into a distinct municipality, though its early years were marked by financial crises, court battles, and even a temporary shutdown of city government in 1931.

Judge Steve Leifman, Champion of Mental Health Reform – Steve Leifman spent three decades on the Miami-Dade bench working to steer people with mental illness out of the jail system and into treatment, ultimately becoming the driving force behind the Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery that finally received commission approval this week. His combination of legal authority and relentless advocacy made him one of the most consequential figures in Miami's modern criminal justice history.