FIFA Faces Vacancy Dilemma Ahead of 2025 Club World Cup
Uncertainty looms over the final slot for the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as the organization has yet to confirm how the vacant place will be filled. According to ESPN, FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that if the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upholds the exclusion of Club León, a playoff match is likely to decide their replacement.
"The intention is to organize a playoff between the CONCACAF Champions League runner-up, LAFC, and the next highest-ranked team, which is Club América," Infantino revealed during a recent statement.
FIFA disqualified Mexican side León from the tournament due to regulations prohibiting teams with shared ownership from participating. León is owned by Grupo Pachuca, which also owns Pachuca — another qualified Club World Cup participant.
León had originally been drawn into a group featuring Chelsea, Flamengo, and Espérance. Should the CAS decision be upheld, FIFA will be forced to quickly finalize a solution with the tournament just months away.
