LAFC and Club América to Battle for Club World Cup Spot After León Disqualified
Los Angeles FC and Club América are set to compete in a high-stakes playoff on May 31 at BMO Stadium, with the winner earning a place in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. This matchup comes after Club León was officially disqualified due to FIFA’s multi-club ownership rules, as León and Pachuca are both owned by Grupo Pachuca. Despite León having previously qualified by winning the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup, a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld FIFA’s decision to remove them from the tournament.
The disqualification sparked controversy, with León criticizing the process and claiming that the decision lacked sporting integrity. Meanwhile, FIFA confirmed that Club Pachuca would still be allowed to participate after winning the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup. To fill the vacancy left by León, FIFA determined that a playoff between LAFC, the 2023 runners-up, and América, the top-ranked Concacaf team in the Club World Cup ranking, would decide who takes the final spot in Group D of the expanded 32-team tournament.
The winner of this playoff will not only secure a spot in the Club World Cup but also a guaranteed prize of nearly \$10 million. The victorious team will go on to face Chelsea in Atlanta on June 16, followed by matches against Esperance of Tunisia and Flamengo of Brazil in other U.S. cities. With the tournament kicking off on June 14, this playoff adds another layer of intensity to an already landmark event in international club football.
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