In a significant development, Mexican football club Club León has been excluded from the upcoming 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after failing to comply with tournament regulations regarding multi-club ownership. The decision, announced by FIFA, comes just months before the expanded 32-team tournament is set to kick off in the United States from June 14 to July 13.
León, who were scheduled to face Chelsea in their opening Group D match on June 16 in Atlanta, were found to be in violation of FIFA’s rules prohibiting clubs from directly or indirectly holding shares or securities in another participating team. The issue arose due to León’s ownership structure under Grupo Pachuca, which also owns another Mexican club, Pachuca, set to compete in the same tournament.
FIFA confirmed that a replacement for León will be announced in due course. However, the club has strongly disagreed with the decision, stating that they operate autonomously in all economic, administrative, and sporting matters. León has vowed to appeal the ruling to the highest sporting courts if necessary.
The controversy began after Costa Rican club Deportiva Alajuelense, winners of the 2023 Central American Cup, challenged the eligibility of both León and Pachuca. Notably, León won the 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup, while Pachuca claimed the title in 2024. Despite the ruling against León, Pachuca’s participation remains unaffected.
FIFA emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of its competitions, stating, “The integrity of all competitions is paramount, and further details will be provided in due course in line with article 10.4 of the FIFA Club World Cup Regulations 2025.”
The exclusion of León has reshaped Group D, which also includes Brazil’s Flamengo and Tunisia’s Esperance. Chelsea, the 2021 UEFA Champions League winners, will now face a different opponent in their opening match.
As the football world awaits further updates, the incident highlights the growing scrutiny over multi-club ownership structures in global football and their impact on competitive fairness.
FIFA Removes Club León from 2025 Club World Cup Over Ownership Violations
