FIFA Plans Playoff Between Club América and LAFC for Club World Cup Spot
In a surprising twist in the world of international club soccer, FIFA has announced plans to hold a one-game playoff between Club América and LAFC. This match will determine which team will replace León at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The world soccer governing body shared this development with ESPN in a statement on Sunday, and it has certainly stirred up quite a bit of conversation among fans and analysts alike.
So, why is León being replaced? Well, on March 23, León was removed from the Club World Cup after FIFA ruled that their participation would violate competition rules. These rules prevent two clubs with the same owner from taking part in the tournament. León is owned by Grupo Pachuca, which also owns another Liga MX side, Pachuca. This decision was officially communicated by FIFA on March 21, stating, “In line with article 10 paragraph four of the regulations for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, FIFA has determined that Club León will be removed from the competition, with the club to be admitted as a replacement to be announced in due course.”
However, the playoff plans will only proceed if León’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to be reinstated to the Club World Cup is unsuccessful. CAS has scheduled a hearing for April 23 in Madrid, Spain, where both León and Costa Rican side Liga Deportiva Alajuelense will present their arguments. Alajuelense initially submitted the complaint to CAS, arguing that León’s participation violated FIFA regulations and that they should be given a spot in the tournament instead.
Both clubs have until April 2 to gather their legal documentation before presenting their cases on the 23rd. Until these legal proceedings are resolved, no replacement plans will be announced. This has left fans and teams in a state of suspense, eagerly awaiting the outcome.
FIFA’s statement on Sunday clarified the potential participants for the playoff: “LAFC would participate as runner-up to Club Léon in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League through which Club Léon had qualified. Club América would participate as the top-ranked team in the FIFA Club World Cup confederation ranking through which qualification is also determined. The winner of the play-off would qualify unless legal proceedings rule otherwise.”
Interestingly, there is some precedent for this approach. The UEFA ranking pathway was how Red Bull Salzburg got into the Club World Cup after Real Madrid had won two of the previous UEFA Champions League titles. This situation is still entirely dependent on an unsuccessful appeal by León regarding FIFA’s March 21st ruling.
Representatives from LAFC have chosen not to comment on the situation, leaving fans to speculate on the team’s thoughts and strategies. On the other hand, Club América’s head coach, Andre Jardine, has been more vocal. When asked about qualifying for the tournament, Jardine expressed his sentiments, saying, “León should go to the Club World Cup. I’m sad for the institution and I’d like them to find a solution so they can go. If it doesn’t happen, then América has been doing things well for a long time. It’s true that they haven’t yet won the Concacaf Champions Cup, which is a dream of ours and a very clear objective.”
Jardine continued, “We’re leading most of the Mexican tournaments, and the Concacaf ranking, which is one of the criteria. If you ask me if I want to go to the Club World Cup, of course it’s true, but I’d like to go to the Club World Cup by achieving it on the field. That’s what we’re working towards.”
The anticipation is building as the 32-team Club World Cup is set to begin on June 14, with the final being held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on July 13. Fans are eagerly waiting to see how this situation unfolds and which team will ultimately secure a spot in this prestigious tournament.
ESPN Mexico’s Omar Flores Aldana contributed to this report.
Originally Written by: Jeff Carlisle and Lizzy Becherano
