FIFA Excludes Club León from 2025 Club World Cup Over Ownership Rule Violation
- Emmanuel Martinez
- Mar 20
- 1 min read
March 20, 2025
FIFA announced the exclusion of Mexico’s Club León from the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup due to breaches of multi-club ownership regulations. Both Club León and C.F. Pachuca are owned by Grupo Pachuca, which violates FIFA’s rules prohibiting clubs with shared ownership from participating in the same tournament.
The issue arose after Costa Rican club Liga Deportiva Alajuelense filed a complaint regarding the eligibility of both Mexican clubs. FIFA’s Appeal Committee investigated and determined that Club León failed to meet the necessary criteria, leading to their removal from the competition.
Club León had secured their spot in the tournament after winning the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League. Despite their on-field success, the ownership conflict resulted in their disqualification. The club has expressed disagreement with FIFA’s decision and intends to appeal the ruling.
The vacancy left by Club León’s exclusion has sparked discussions about potential replacements. Liga Deportiva Alajuelense is being considered with Mexican side Club America being one of the speculated clubs to replace Leon. They have dominated Liga MX by wining the dosmetic title 3 times in a row and are currently ranked 3rd in FIFA's CONCACAF ranking.
It is a developing story with Club Leon preparing an appeal.
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