León's Expulsion from Club World Cup Spurs CAS Appeal and FIFA Playoff Proposal

Court of Arbitration for Sport to hear León's expedited appeal in May, while FIFA plans a playoff for León's replacement if the appeal fails.

FIFA expelled Mexican club León from the 2025 Club World Cup due to shared ownership with Pachuca under Grupo Pachuca, citing multi-club ownership rules.
León has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which will hold expedited hearings during the week of May 5, 2025.
FIFA has proposed a one-game playoff between Los Angeles FC and Club América to determine León's replacement if the appeal is unsuccessful.
Costa Rican club Alajuelense has filed a separate appeal with CAS, to be heard on April 23, 2025, seeking the final tournament spot, which carries significant financial rewards.
The 2025 Club World Cup, set to begin on June 14 in the United States, will feature an expanded 32-team format, intensifying the urgency to resolve these disputes.