FIFA Sets Playoff to Replace León in Club World Cup

San José, Costa Rica – FIFA has decided to hold a playoff match between Club América and Los Angeles Football Club to fill the potential vacancy left by Club León in the upcoming Club World Cup.

The announcement came after La Liga Deportiva Alajuelense of Costa Rica raised concerns about León and Pachuca participating in the tournament, claiming their inclusion violated competition regulations.

According to sources, FIFA stated that León’s participation would breach tournament rules, following two complaints lodged with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS) by the Costa Rican club. FIFA has not announced any official plans until the situation is resolved, but various reports suggested a playoff will commence if León loses their appeal.

ESPN reported that TAS has scheduled a hearing on April 23 in Madrid to assess both León’s position and FIFA’s regulations. Should León’s appeal be denied, the winner of the playoff between América and Los Angeles FC will take their place in the tournament.

FIFA has several options for filling the vacancy, including directly selecting Los Angeles FC as the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League runner-up or considering América, which is the highest-ranked team in CONCACAF not already qualified.

Past instances show that using higher-ranked teams from the confederation is a valid route, as was the case when Red Bull Salzburg qualified for the Club World Cup after UEFA’s protocol allowed it due to Real Madrid winning two Champions League titles.

The anticipation around the playoff continues to build as fans await the final decisions on León’s status and the implications for the tournament.