The Sports Arbitration Court (CAS) has turned down Club Leon’s appeal to FIFA regarding its participation in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer.
Even though Club Leon qualified for the 32-team tournament, FIFA removed it from the lineup in March due to rules that disallow the same ownership group from entering multiple clubs in the Club World Cup.
On Tuesday morning, CAS released a statement affirming their decision, indicating that the appeal would be reconsidered for a competition set to start on June 14th in the United States.
“The CAS Panel made the decision to reject three appeals, concluding that both Pachuca and Club León did not satisfy the ownership criteria set out in Article 10.1 of the FIFA World Cup Club 2025 regulations,” the statement included.
“The panel looked into evidence related to the Club Leon Trust, which was created by the club’s owners, and determined that it did not meet the necessary regulations. Consequently, Club Leon remains excluded, while Pachuca will receive a full CAS ruling with an explanation of the decision.
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Furthermore, another appeal from the LDA against Club Leon, Pachuca, and FIFA—filed on February 3, 2025—argued that the participation of Club Leon and Pachuca contravened FIFA regulations and called for the removal of one or both clubs. The appeal also sought to enter the LDA into the competition in place of the excluded team. After a direct hearing by CAS in Madrid on April 23, 2025, this appeal was dismissed today, with details provided in the full awards.
Leon and Pachuca secured their spots in the tournament by winning the CONCACAF Championships in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
During the draw in Miami in December, both clubs were placed in groups of four despite ownership complications. Leon is set to face Premier League champions Chelsea in Atlanta, Tunisia’s Esperance in Nashville, and Brazil’s Flamengo in Orlando.
A FIFA judge had stated in March that the club’s ownership structure “clearly indicates centralized decision-making under a single authority.”
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FIFA is anticipated to substitute Leon with a playoff between MLS team LAFC and Liga MX’s América.
The Club World Cup is scheduled to conclude at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13th, just before the FIFA World Cup takes place, with the final being held in the same venue in 2026.
The tournament will feature teams that secured continental titles between 2020 and 2024 and have shown consistent performance throughout this timeframe. Additionally, FIFA has acknowledged Lionel Messi and Inter Miami’s entries to represent the host nation.
Fan Take: This news is significant for soccer fans as it emphasizes the importance of ownership regulations in maintaining the integrity of international tournaments. Moreover, it highlights a shift in tournament dynamics that could significantly impact club strategies and team compositions in the future.
