FIFA Disqualifies León Over Multi-Club Ownership Rules

FIFA has disqualified León from the tournament due to violations of multi-club ownership rules. As a result, Chelsea will now play against a different team, which has yet to be decided. Chelsea was originally scheduled to face Mexican club León in their opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

León, currently ranked second in Liga MX, is part of Grupo Pachuca, a multi-club ownership group that also owns CF Pachuca. Since Pachuca has already qualified for the Club World Cup, FIFA ruled that León’s participation would breach regulations regarding multi-club ownership. According to FIFA’s rules, a single ownership group cannot have more than one club competing in the same tournament. Due to this conflict, FIFA decided to remove León from the competition.

In an official statement, FIFA outlined the reasoning behind its decision. The organization confirmed that disciplinary proceedings were initiated against both CF Pachuca and Club León. After reviewing the evidence, FIFA’s Appeal Committee determined that León and Pachuca had failed to meet the multi-club ownership criteria outlined in Article 10, Paragraph 1 of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 regulations. Consequently, FIFA enforced Article 10, Paragraph 4 of the same regulations, which led to León’s removal from the tournament. FIFA also confirmed that a replacement team would be announced soon, but no decision has been made yet.

FIFA -Multi-Club Ownership Rules

The situation surrounding León’s disqualification escalated after Costa Rican club Liga Deportiva Alajuelense brought the case to FIFA. Alajuelense, which ranks among the top clubs in North America, was not initially granted a spot in the tournament. However, after learning about the ownership conflict involving León and Pachuca, the Costa Rican club appealed to FIFA, hoping to secure a place in the competition as the next eligible team.
In response to FIFA’s ruling, León expressed strong disagreement and announced its intention to challenge the decision. In an official statement, the club argued that it operates independently in all financial, administrative, and sporting matters.

It insisted that it rightfully earned its place in the Club World Cup through on-field performance and should not be disqualified due to ownership-related technicalities. The club further stated that if FIFA does not reverse its decision, it will pursue legal action in the highest sporting courts to protect its rights.

Similarly, CF Pachuca also issued a statement, vowing to fight for what they believe was earned fairly on the pitch. Pachuca emphasized that it complied with the tournament’s rules and would take necessary steps to ensure a just resolution to the matter.

With León removed from the competition, the number of CONCACAF teams in the FIFA Club World Cup now stands at three: Monterrey, Seattle Sounders FC, and Pachuca. Since León’s replacement must come from North America, FIFA is currently reviewing potential options for a new participant.
Grupo Pachuca’s owner, Jesús Martínez, had previously addressed the issue of multi-club ownership and its potential impact on the Club World Cup.

In 2023, he stated that he was willing to sell his controlling stake in León if that was necessary for the club to compete in FIFA tournaments. Martínez explained that the group had already informed Liga MX officials about its decision to sell León. While he confirmed plans to transfer majority ownership before 2027, he also mentioned the possibility of maintaining some level of sporting control over the club. According to Martínez, Grupo Pachuca’s primary objective is to support the growth of Mexican football, and if FIFA sees multi-club ownership as a barrier to that growth, they are willing to cooperate to resolve the issue.

As the situation unfolds, FIFA is expected to make a final decision on León’s replacement in the coming weeks. The case has sparked widespread debate over multi-club ownership regulations, raising questions about whether similar situations could arise in the future.

“One Club Too Many? FIFA Teaches León a Lesson in Ownership” 🙄

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