FIFA has welcomed the decision made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reject the appeals of Pachuca and León regarding the Club World Cup. According to the organization, the match between América and Los Angeles FC will take place to fill the spot left by the Mexican team, as already stated by Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA.
In an official statement, FIFA explained that Los Angeles FC, belonging to the American Major League Soccer league, was selected to compete for the vacant spot in the Club World Cup for having lost the final of the Concachampions 2023 against León. In contrast, América was chosen due to its history as one of the highest-ranked teams in the region until 2024.
The knockout match between América and Los Angeles FC will be played as a single game on a date and venue yet to be determined. According to specialized sources, the match is estimated to take place on May 31. The decision of the CAS has generated controversy, especially due to León’s reaction, which expressed its dissatisfaction and suggested that pressure may have influenced the confirmation of its exclusion from the championship that will take place next summer.
Following León's official expulsion from the 2025 Club World Cup by the CAS, FIFA praised the determination and confirmed, through a statement, the playoff match between América and Los Angeles FC.
