Mexico’s Club Leon have been kicked out of the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup over multi-club ownership rules.
The 2023 CONCACAF Champions League winners Leon are owned by the same group – Grupo Pachuca – that owns fellow Mexican side Pachuca, who are also in this year’s Club World Cup.
A replacement has not yet been announced.
“Following disciplinary proceedings opened against CF Pachuca and Club Leon, the chairman of the Fifa disciplinary committee decided to refer the case directly to the Fifa appeal committee,” a Fifa statement read.
“Having evaluated all evidence on fire, the chairman of the Fifa appeal committee has decided that CF Pachuca and Club Leon failed to meet the criteria on multi-club ownership for the Fifa Club World Cup 2025.
“Fifa has determined that Club Leon will be removed from the competition, with the club to be admitted as a replacement to be announced in due course.”
Club World Cup replacement
It means the CONCACAF contingent currently sits at three teams – Monterrey, Seattle Sounders FC and Pachuca – with a replacement likely to come from the same umbrella of clubs that covers central and North America.
Grupo Pachuca owner Jesus Martinez said in December that he would be willing to sell a controlling stake in Leon if it meant them staying in the Club World Cup.
“We plan to give up the majority stake in the club [León] before 2027. However, I think we’re going to maintain some kind of sports control. What we want is to contribute to the growth of the Mexican league, and if they see that multi-property can have a negative impact, we’re willing to help in every way,” added Martinez.
Leon’s first game was supposed to be against Chelsea at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The London club, Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis and Brazil’s Flamengo will await their new opponent.
Fellow Premier League club Manchester City opens against Morocco’s Wydad AC before matches against Abu Dhabi side Al Ain and Italy’s Juventus.