Leon has been excluded from the 2025 Club World Cup due to the issue of multi-ownership, after the CAS upheld FIFA's final verdict announced on May 6. As a result, America and Los Angeles FC will compete for the last spot in the tournament left vacant by the emerald team, as revealed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Following the resolution of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, FIFA has established the date and venue for the playoff match between the teams from Liga MX and MLS. According to information from ESPN, the match will take place in the last week of May, specifically on Saturday the 31st. This is one day before the Concachampions final which will face Cruz Azul against Vancouver Whitecaps.
FIFA is evaluating possible venues, considering SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles as the most viable options.
In Gianni Infantino's words, America and LAFC were chosen to compete for this spot because Los Angeles FC lost the final against Leon in the 2023 Concachampions, while America remains the highest-ranked team in the area until 2024. This decision provides a great opportunity for the blue-and-cream team to participate in a tournament that will bring together some of the best teams in the world.
It is essential to highlight that the CAS resolution represents an important opportunity for the team, as they have not won the Concacaf tournament since 2016, and this represents an outstanding debt to their fans.
