Club León’s ban from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has jolted Mexican football circles. It’s not the first time that questions about multi-club ownership have emerged, yet FIFA’s sudden decision surprised even seasoned observers.
The ruling hinged on a specific clause in FIFA’s regulations that bars more than one club owned by the same group from competing in the same tournament. The outcome was particularly troubling for Grupo Pachuca, which controls both León and CF Pachuca. FIFA confirmed its stance in an official release: “FIFA has determined that Club León will be removed from the competition, with the club to be admitted as a replacement to be announced in due course.”
León’s leadership insists there was no breach. “In the last few months we have presented all the evidence and documents confirming that Club León manages itself in an autonomous manner in all economic, administrative, and sporting aspects,” the club said in a statement. Fans, who watched León secure a spot through the Concacaf Champions Cup, feel they’ve been robbed of a well-earned appearance on the world stage.
The timing couldn’t be worse. León recently signed Colombian midfielder James Rodríguez, hoping his experience would fortify their campaign. Instead, their focus has turned to a legal battle they believe can be won. “Should Club León be prevented from participating in the 2025 Club World Cup with the same rights with which it earned a place on the pitch, we will pursue the matter to the fullest extent possible in the highest sporting courts,” the club noted in another statement that echoed frustration.
Mid-tournament shake-up
This controversy also casts doubt on how FIFA will choose León’s replacement. Alajuelense, the Costa Rican side left out when both Pachuca and León qualified, has made its own appeal for entry. There’s also speculation from Major League Soccer camps, as multiple American clubs see a chance to fill that vacant slot. For the moment, FIFA has offered no clear timeline for the selection.
Meanwhile, Pachuca remains in the tournament. Grupo Pachuca tried to rectify the dual-ownership issue by outlining a plan to sell León’s majority stake by 2027, though that deadline fell beyond FIFA’s demands for the 2025 edition. Owner Jesús Martínez defended the group’s vision but admitted he was open to loosening full control: “We plan to give up the majority stake in the club [León] before 2027. However, I think we’re going to maintain some kind of sports control. What we want is to contribute to the growth of the Mexican league.”
For León’s supporters, this entire episode feels unjust. They point to the team’s strong domestic form and argue that business formalities should never overshadow sporting merit. Yet the appeals committee remains firm, and so does FIFA’s regulation on multi-club ownership.
The 2025 Club World Cup is set to begin on June 14 in the United States. Fans of the competition now wait for the next chapter in this saga, knowing that León’s legal efforts might still change the story. Until then, the team that won its place on the field finds itself on the outside looking in, and that reality has left many in Mexican football unsettled.
