FIFA Considers Play-Off to Replace Club Leon in Club World Cup 2025
FIFA is currently exploring options to determine who will take Club Leon’s place in the upcoming 2025 Club World Cup. A one-off play-off match is under consideration as a potential solution to fill the vacant spot created by Club Leon’s removal from the tournament.
Earlier this month, FIFA announced the exclusion of the Mexican club from the prestigious summer competition. The reason cited for Club Leon’s disqualification was their failure to meet FIFA’s criteria regarding “multi-club ownership.” FIFA’s regulations on multi-club ownership aim to ensure fair competition and prevent conflicts of interest within football.
Official statements released by FIFA in March detailed the disciplinary process involving both CF Pachuca and Club León. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee initially opened proceedings, and the case was subsequently referred to the FIFA Appeal Committee. After reviewing all submitted evidence, the Appeal Committee concluded that both CF Pachuca and Club León did not comply with the multi-club ownership rules, as defined in Article 10, paragraph 1 of the Regulations for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Consequently, Article 10, paragraph 4 of the same regulations dictates Club León’s removal from the competition. FIFA has stated that a replacement club will be announced in due course.
The 2025 Club World Cup, set to be hosted in the United States from June 14th to July 13th, already boasts an impressive lineup of 31 top global football clubs. Confirmed participants include giants like Chelsea, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid, among others. However, the question remains: who will fill the final 32nd spot originally intended for Club Leon?
According to football journalist Ben Jacobs, FIFA is actively considering a single play-off game to decide Club Leon’s replacement. This potential play-off would be contested between two prominent North American clubs: Club America and Los Angeles FC (LAFC). The winner of this proposed match would then inherit Club Leon’s place in Group D of the Club World Cup, alongside Chelsea and other teams. This high-stakes play-off would offer a direct and exciting way to determine the final participant in the revamped Club World Cup.
The Club World Cup trophy (Credit:Getty)
James Rodriguez Criticizes FIFA Decision on Club Leon’s Club World Cup Exclusion
While many teams eagerly anticipate the chance to participate in the expanded Club World Cup, not everyone is satisfied with recent developments. James Rodriguez, a star midfielder for Club Leon and former player for European giants like Everton, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid, has openly condemned FIFA’s decision to remove his club from the tournament.
“I believe it’s a serious injustice,” Rodriguez stated to reporters during a press conference on Saturday. “We all feel this way. We earned our place on the field, through our performance.”
Rodriguez further expressed his disappointment and concern: “The club and the players are deeply hurt by this situation. We feel it’s unfair to be excluded. Any team that replaces us will carry a stain, and football itself will be tainted by this. Many fans have already made travel plans for the tournament – how can you tell them they can no longer go? I have numerous questions about this entire process. It seems very strange. FIFA needs to sort out their issues. This decision is damaging to the integrity of football.”
James Rodriguez has slammed FIFA (Credit:Getty)
Confirmed FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Groups (as of now)
Here’s a look at the provisional groups for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, noting that Group D is currently incomplete pending the replacement for Club Leon:
- Group A: Palmeiras, FC Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
- Group B: Paris St-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders
- Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica
- Group D: Flamengo, Esperance Sportive de Tunisie, Chelsea, (Club Leon originally, replacement TBD)
- Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter Milan
- Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns
- Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus
- Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg
Stay tuned for further updates on FIFA’s decision regarding the play-off game and the final team to complete the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 lineup!