Mexican club Leon banned from FIFA Club World Cup

Leon expressed their "anger and indignation" on social media, saying the decision "goes against the spirit of fair competition" and aim to appeal.

A FIFA appeals committee, responding to a complaint by Costa Rican club Alajuelense, ruled that Leon and another club from Mexico, Pachuca, failed to meet tournament regulations on multi-club ownership. Both sides are owned by Grupo Pachuca.

However it was Leon, the winners of the 2023 regional CONCACAF Champions Cup, who were thrown out of the tournament while Pachuca, CONCACAF champions in 2024, were allowed to remain.

"Club Leon will be removed from the competition, with the club to be admitted as a replacement to be announced in due course," FIFA said in a statement.

The decision is a costly one for Leon, who along with other clubs from the CONCACAF region were due to receive a $9 million fee from FIFA for participation in the group stage, a source told AFP.

Teams which advance from the group stage are eligible for further prize money on top of that participation fee.

From the CONCACAF region, USA teams Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami are also taking part of the June-July tournament along with another Mexican club Monterrey.

Article 10.1 of the tournament regulations states that no participating club can directly or indirectly hold or deal in the securities or shares of any other club in the competition.

"We are an independent, autonomous and sovereign team. Let there be no doubt," Leon protested on social media, adding that they "won the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League title with fairness and professionalism."

The club condemned "a measure that is cruel, unfair, which we do not endorse and we do not know who it benefits, but who it harms: our fans."

"Club Leon will appeal this decision and we will go to the ultimate lengths to defend the place we attained in the Club World Cup."

Leon had been drawn to face English giants Chelsea on June 16 in Atlanta before playing Brazil's Flamengo and Esperance of Tunisia.

The 32-team event, in the first edition of it's expanded format, takes place from June 14 to July 13 in the United States.

Alajuelense was knocked out in the round of 16 in the CONCACAF Champions League by clubs from the United States the last two seasons.