Overview
- The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld FIFA's decision to exclude Club León from the 2025 Club World Cup due to shared ownership with Pachuca.
- León's attempt to comply with FIFA's integrity regulations via a trust was deemed insufficient by both FIFA and CAS.
- Pachuca, also owned by Grupo Pachuca, retains its place in the tournament after qualifying through the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
- FIFA will stage a playoff between Los Angeles FC and Club América to fill León's vacated spot, with the winner securing a $9.55 million initial payment and a share of the tournament's $1 billion prize pool.
- A separate appeal by Costa Rican club Alajuelense to replace León in the tournament was also dismissed by CAS.