Fifa has eliminated Club Leon from this summer’s Club World Cup for failing to meet tournament standards on multi-club ownership.
The Mexicans were set to face Chelsea in their first match of the 32-team competition, which will take place in the United States from June 14 to July 13.
However, the world governing body concluded that they and another Mexican team, Pachuca, violated rules prohibiting clubs from directly or indirectly holding or dealing in the securities or shares of another competing team.
Both clubs are owned by Grupo Pachuca, and Fifa stated in a statement that a replacement for Leon will “be announced in due course”.
Leon disagreed with Fifa’s decision and said they would appeal to the sport’s highest courts if they were denied a place at the event.
“In the last few months we have presented all the evidence and documents confirming that Club Leon manages itself in an autonomous manner in all economic, administrative and sporting aspects,” the club added.
The decision to allow both teams to compete was contested by Deportiva Alajuelense, a Costa Rican club that won the 2023 Central American Cup.
It was the same year Leon won the Concacaf Champions Cup, a competition won by Pachuca in 2024, which has not been affected.
Chelsea was scheduled to meet Leon on June 16 in Atlanta, along with Flamengo of Brazil and Tunisian side Esperance, in Group D.
