FIFA kicked Club León out of the Club World Cup. Could Club América replace them?

Mexican nonrecreational shot nine León has been expelled from the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup owed to ownership violations, leaving 1 coveted tourney spot up for grabs.

Soccer’s satellite governing assemblage is present considering a high-stakes playoff betwixt Liga MX powerhouse Club América of Mexico City and Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC to find León’s replacement.

Like the much celebrated World Cup, the Club World Cup is tally by FIFA. Club León was acceptable to play the champion teams from section shot leagues astir the satellite — deliberation Real Madrid and Bayern München alternatively than countries’ nationalist enactment teams. (FIFA/X)

The Club World Cup —  which includes the champion teams from shot leagues astir the satellite alternatively than nationalist squads — is the mostly unheralded relative of the fervor-laden men’s and women’s World Cups staged each 4 years.

This summer, the Club World Cup volition beryllium held successful the United States, with FIFA sweating bullets that it won’t beryllium capable to enactment connected a bully amusement up of the 2026 World Cup that’s being cohosted by Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.

Marquee teams specified Real Madrid of Spain, Manchester City and Chelsea of England, Bayern Munich of Germany and Inter Milan of Italy are among the 32 teams that person qualified. So are lesser lights, specified arsenic Auckland City of New Zealand and Wydad of Morocco.

But successful a looming embarrassment for FIFA, not lone bash tickets stay disposable for each lucifer with less than 100 days to go, but galore of the ample NFL stadiums being utilized are showing ample swaths of unsold seats. Moreover, with truthful galore league games, squad competitions and nationalist matchups blanketing the calendar year-round, determination is interest implicit shot burnout.

A last-minute qualifying clash betwixt Club América and Los Angeles FC could make publicity and momentum heading into the group-stage matches opening connected June 15. 

The title is acceptable for July 13 astatine MetLife Stadium successful East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Mexico City’s Club América could get a accidental astatine Club León’s spot due to the fact that it is the highest-ranked squad successful FIFA’s determination nine rankings not already qualified for the championship. (Club América/Facebook

Club León earned its spot by winning the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup, a contention for the champion teams playing successful leagues successful North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

However, León was aboriginal disqualified from playing successful the Club World Cup due to the fact that it shares ownership with Pachuca, different Liga MX squad that had already qualified by winning the CONCACAF Champions Cup successful 2024. Both clubs are owned by Grupo Pachuca, violating FIFA regulations that prohibit 1 entity from controlling aggregate teams successful the aforesaid competition.

Despite Grupo Pachuca’s claims that León and Pachuca run independently, and a connection by the ownership that León was being enactment up for merchantability to comply with FIFA rules, FIFA’s judges upheld the expulsion.

After it was announced past week that Club León got the boot, Grupo Pachuca said it would further reason its lawsuit successful beforehand of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) successful Madrid connected April 23.

“We are dissatisfied with this determination and volition entreaty it to the fullest grade possible,” the radical said successful a statement. “We volition support what was won connected the field.”

Costa Rican nine Alajuelense, which initially filed the multiownership complaints against León, is besides pursuing a CAS case, arguing it deserves the unfastened spot based connected determination rankings.

The imaginable play-in crippled — apt to beryllium held successful Southern California — pits Los Angeles FC (LAFC), runners-up to León successful the 2023 CONCACAF final, against Club América, the highest-ranked squad successful FIFA’s determination nine rankings not already qualified. The victor would besides get US $9.55 cardinal awarded by FIFA to teams that suffice from CONCACAF.

“It would beryllium a privilege to compete,” LAFC manager Steve Cherundolo said. “We’ll fig retired logistics erstwhile the clip comes.”

With personage owners similar Will Ferrell and Magic Johnson, an electrical ambiance astatine its stadium and prima players specified arsenic Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris, LAFC is 1 of MLS’s glamour clubs and a awesome of North American soccer’s increasing influence.

LAFC’s personage owners and fans, similar histrion Will Ferrell, seen here, gives the squad a glamour that could beryllium the reply to FIFA’s prayers arsenic it faces debased income for the upcoming Club World Cup successful July. (MLS)

Club América, meanwhile, precocious completed a Liga MX three-peat, has accumulated 51 determination trophies implicit the years and is 1 of the strongest shot brands successful the Western Hemisphere. Its iconic Estadio Azteca is going to host the opening ceremonial and archetypal crippled of the 2026 World Cup.

According to squad documents, Club América boasts 45 cardinal planetary fans, with 15 cardinal successful Southern California alone. Its monolithic U.S. instrumentality basal would besides bring important prima powerfulness to the upgraded and expanded tournament.

The Club World Cup began successful 2000 erstwhile 8 determination champions faced disconnected against each different successful a knockout tourney successful Brazil.

This year, for the archetypal time, determination volition beryllium a radical signifier followed by knockout rounds, and the contention volition tally for a period — overmuch similar the “regular” World Cup. In all, determination volition beryllium 63 games, compared to 16 successful the 2000 tourney.

Two Mexican teams are already among the 32 qualifiers: CF Pachuca, by virtuousness of winning the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup; and CF Monterrey, which punched its summons by winning the 2021 Concacaf Champions Cup final.

Pachuca is successful Group H with FC Salzburg (Austria), Real Madrid (Spain) and Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia). Monterrey is successful Group E with River Plate (Argentina), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) and Internazionale Milano (Italy).

The victor of an América-LAFC lucifer would beryllium successful Group D on with Chelsea (England), CR Flamengo (Brazil) and Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia).

With reports from The Guardian, BBC, Associated Press and The Athletic