- FIFA President Gianni Infantino is considering a playoff between LAFC and Club América for a Club World Cup spot
- Club León was excluded due to ownership rules, though their appeal is pending at the Court of Arbitration for Sport
- The expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup will take place in the USA from June 14 to July 13 with a $1 billion prize fund
Key Takeaways:
FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that he will seek a way to organise a playoff between LAFC and Club América (Mexico City) for a spot at the FIFA Club World Cup, following the removal of Club León from the tournament last month. León, one of Mexico’s wealthiest clubs, will not be allowed to participate due to FIFA’s rules restricting multiple clubs being owned by the same financial group, despite the fact that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has already registered León’s appeal against the decision. The FIFA Club World Cup will be held from June 14 to July 13 in the United States.
🚨Gianni Infantino confirmó una alternativa para definir al equipo 👀 que tomaría el puesto de León en caso se confirme su expulsión del Mundial de Clubes😱💥#fifa #mundialdeclubes #leon #america #lafc #semanasanta #marcaamerica #marcamexico pic.twitter.com/onPvQSA5Of
— MARCA América 🇲🇽 (@MarcaMexico_) April 15, 2025
Infantino himself is open to any decision but prefers León to be excluded, mainly to avoid accusations that he is acting in favour of wealthy ownership groups.
“In a few weeks, we will have the final and definitive decision, and we will respect any ruling made by CAS,” Infantino told journalists at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. At the same event, Infantino also presented the trophy that will be awarded at the first Club World Cup in its new format. “If CAS confirms our decision, we will rely on the rules and on fairness—specifically, a match between the CONCACAF Champions League runner-up and the next club in line. That means América (Mexico City) and LAFC, so the spot remains within the region,” Infantino continued.
The date and venue for the potential playoff have not yet been announced, but it is likely that FIFA already has scenarios in mind and has discussed them with the clubs. The world football governing body also announced that the expanded 32-team tournament will feature a prize pool totaling $1 billion.