Club World Cup 2025: FIFA Removes Leon Over Multi-Club Ownership Criteria

On March 21, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announced its decision to remove Club Leon from the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup 2025 due to the tournament’s multi-club ownership regulations.

Grupo Pachuca owns both CF Pachuca and Club Leon, which earlier qualified for the competition as two of Concacaf’s four representatives. However, following disciplinary proceedings and a referral to the FIFA Appeal Committee, it was determined that both clubs failed to meet the tournament regulations on multi-club ownership.

Article 10 Para 1 of the Regulations for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 sets the criteria for multi-club ownership that participating clubs must meet. According to this Article, no one may simultaneously be involved in the management, administration, and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in the competition. Further, no individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in the competition.

These Regulations stipulate that if two or more clubs fail to meet the said criteria, only one of them may be admitted to the competition, and a decision will be made on the replacement of the club that is not admitted. Accordingly, the club to be admitted as a replacement in place of Club Leon will be announced in due course, with FIFA considering one play-off match between Los Angeles FC and Club America to determine the team which would take its spot in the tournament.

Grupo Pachuca cited documents demonstrating its administrative and sporting independence and said it would challenge Club Leon’s exclusion from the tournament.