FIFA has officially ruled Club Leónt of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, citing a violation of tournament regulations regarding ownership conflicts. León and Pachuca both belong to Grupo Pachuca, and FIFA has confirmed that only Pachuca will participate.
INACEPTABLE pic.twitter.com/tV9Y4Bf8ZF
— Club León (@clubleonfc) March 21, 2025
“We have been informed by FIFA that one of the two teams, Pachuca or León, will be excluded from the 2025 Club World Cup, and the decision was that León will be left out,” said Grupo Pachuca in an official statement.
In response, León announced plans to take legal action, stating that they submitted all documents demonstrating their sporting and administrative independence in due time.
Who could take León’s spot?
With one Concacaf slot now open, FIFA must designate a replacement. Three clubs have emerged as contenders:
- Tigres UANL, as 2020 Concacaf Champions League winners.
- Club América, ranked No. 3 in the region by FIFA.
- LD Alajuelense (Costa Rica), currently the highest-ranked eligible club due to federation limits.
However, the tournament rule (Article 11) states a maximum of two clubs per country, unless more than two have won the region’s top competition in the qualifying cycle. Mexico already has two representatives, blocking Tigres and América.
This makes Alajuelense the most likely candidate to receive the invitation. The Costa Rican side was also the one to file a complaint with FIFA and CAS, requesting an investigation into the ownership situation involving León and Pachuca.
Club World Cup 2025: What’s next?
The new, expanded FIFA Club World Cup will take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025, featuring 32 teams. Pachuca is seeded in Pot 4, alongside clubs like Inter Miami.
The final decision on León’s replacement is expected soon, and all eyes are now on Alajuelense and FIFA’s next move.
