FIFA Excludes Club León from 2025 Club World Cup Over Ownership Rule Violation

The Mexican club's removal leaves a vacancy in the 32-team tournament as FIFA seeks a replacement ahead of the June kickoff.

FIFA has disqualified Club León from the 2025 Club World Cup due to a violation of ownership rules prohibiting shared control of multiple clubs.
Both Club León and CF Pachuca are owned by the same entity, which breaches FIFA's competition regulations designed to ensure fairness.
The FIFA Appeals Committee reviewed evidence and upheld the decision to exclude Club León from the tournament.
Club León was originally scheduled to play its opening match against Chelsea on June 16 in Atlanta, but its removal leaves Group D incomplete.
FIFA has yet to announce a replacement team for the tournament, which is set to begin on June 14, 2025, with 32 teams participating.