Club León issued an official statement expressing its desire for sports values to be respected and not to be bought or sold by anyone, amid the controversy over its exclusion from the Club World Cup. Meanwhile, América, a team owned by Televisa and one match away from securing its participation in the tournament, indicated that the exclusion of Club León was not based on sports principles.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that Club América will face LAFC from MLS to occupy the vacancy left by Club León in the Club World Cup. Although the exact date of the match has not yet been announced, FIFA is expected to officialize it soon. This has led to speculation about the future of Colombian James Rodríguez, who may consider emigrating in search of new international challenges.
After the TAS ruling that excluded Club León from the Club World Cup due to conflicts of multi-ownership linked to Grupo Pachuca, the team issued a statement calling the decision "very harsh." In the message, the Esmeraldas suggested that the influence of certain rivals, intense pressures, and high interests may have influenced the decision, hinting that Club América would take their place in the tournament.
Club León directly questioned FIFA's criteria by stating that their interests do not align with the goal of promoting sports development, considering the TAS decision as "unappealable." The ruling significantly affects Grupo Pachuca's sports project, especially after the investment made to have James Rodríguez in Mexican football. The TAS ruled against Club León's appeal to participate in the Club World Cup 2025, leaving the team out of the most important international club competition.
