FIFA announced on Friday, March 21st, that the FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to exclude Mexican side Club Leon from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

Top Mexican side Club Leon kicked out of FIFA Club World Cup after failing multi-club ownership rules.

Replacement club still tbc pic.twitter.com/HaSkmWv7FR

— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) March 21, 2025

The decision has been made due to the violation of FIFA regulations that prohibit multi-ownership among teams competing in the same tournament.

However, Costa Rican side Deportiva Alajuelense have sparked up significant controversy as they have claimed the vacant slot in an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), alleging that Leon and Pachuca, the Mexican clubs sharing common ownership, should be debarred from the tournament.

❌ 2025 Club World Cup currently have 31/32 clubs confirmed, after removal of 🇲🇽 Club León due to a multi-club ownership.

🇨🇷 Alajuelense from Costa Rica, which filed this complaint in the first place, are the most likely replacement, but FIFA are yet to confirm that. pic.twitter.com/tS6PA65kBY

— Football Rankings (@FootRankings) March 22, 2025

Read Also | FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule

Club Leon's exclusion from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025

FIFA confirmed on Friday that Club Leon failed to meet the criteria stated in Article 10, Paragraph 1 of the tournament regulations. The Club ownership rule has been explained in this article, which clearly states the following: 

No individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in the Competition, such control or influence being defined in this context as:

i) holding a majority of the shareholders’ voting rights;

ii) having the right to appoint or remove a majority of the members of the administrative, management or supervisory body of the club;

iii) being a shareholder and alone controlling a majority of the shareholders’ voting rights pursuant to an agreement entered into with other shareholders of the club; or

iv) being able to exercise by any means a decisive influence in the decision-making of the club. 

According to these rules, Club Leon failed to comply with the regulation as they are owned by Grupo Pachuca, which also owns Pachuca, another Mexican side participating in this tournament from the Concacaf spot.

FIFA stated in an official statement that "Pachuca and Club León failed to meet the criteria on multi-club ownership". The statment says:

After having evaluated all evidence on file, the chairman of the FIFA Appeal Committee has decided that CF Pachuca and Club León failed to meet the criteria on multi-club ownership defined under article 10 paragraph 1 of the Regulations for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.

In line with article 10 paragraph 4 of the Regulations for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, 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.

Recently, representatives from the Pachuca and Leon football clubs met with FIFA to insist that the two clubs operate independently, even though they share some shareholders. Despite the efforts, FIFA was not convinced and ruled against Leon, leaving another controversy concerning the participating teams.

Club Leon earned their place in the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup as they won the Concacaf Champions Cup in 2023, a tournament that was also won by Pachuca in 2024, ensuring their qualification as well.

Leon decided to appeal against FIFA's decision

Bajan del Mundial de Clubes a un equipo mexicano 🔽

Vaya lío se fue metiendo la #FIFA. Alajuelense se la jugó y, aunque tampoco tiene algo asegurado, sí movió la rama y sacudió el ambiente.

Embrollo para nombrar al sustituto y embrollo también porque vendrá apelación. pic.twitter.com/483qFbneEU

— Alex Gaitán (@AlexGaitanCR) March 21, 2025

Pachuca and Club Leon published an official club statement following the decision, stating that they are "dissatisfied with this decision" and will "defend what was earned on the field in a fair". The statement is as follows:

We have just been informed by FIFA that one of the two teams: Pachuca and León, participants in the 2025 Club World Cup, will be excluded from the competition. We are dissatisfied with this decision, and we will appeal it to the highest levels, including the highest sports tribunal, as all the evidence and documentation proving our administrative and sporting independence were presented in a timely and transparent manner.

In our case, we will defend what was earned on the field in a fair, professional manner, and in accordance with the competition rules.

Mikel Arriola, the Mexico Football Federation president, has also assured that they will fight for "Liga MX to keep its three spots" in the upcoming tournament. He said:

Technically, we will push for that. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee is the one with the authority to define spots and quotas for each league, but we will certainly defend our three spots,

There is constant communication with Club León. Since this decision became known, I have been in contact with the Pachuca Group, but I believe we all need to be very cautious and wait for a process among all parties, in this case between a club and FIFA. We will remain attentive. It’s a legal process that will need to be supported by both the League and the Federation. There will be an appeal, and we will remain attentive and wait.

Víctor Montagliani, the Concacaf president, has also shown his support for Club Leon regarding this incident. The Concacaf chief expressed his support via a statement during an interview with TUDN México.

I support León because they won the ConcaChampions on the field. We hope that at the end of this legal process, León will be allowed to play in the Club World Cup,

Club Leon has decided to appeal against FIFA at CAS with the backing of Concacaf, along with Liga MX, which already has Monterrey and Pachuca as participants in the Club World Cup.

VERSIÓN OFICIAL pic.twitter.com/V71yytjRh0

— Club León (@clubleonfc) March 19, 2025

Leon was drawn in Group D along with the English side Chelsea, Brazilian side Flamengo, and Tunisian side Esperance. However, the vacant berth left by Leon has been targeted by clubs such as Alajuelense, Club America, Tigres UNAL etc.

Alajuelense’s previous complaint and CAS appeal

Interestingly, Alajuelense’s complaint regarding the multi-ownership issue initiated the investigation by the FIFA Appeal Committee, leading to Club Leon’s exclusion.

🚨Comunicado oficial🚨Liga Deportiva Alajuelense presenta reclamo ante FIFA por el Mundial de Clubes 2025. https://t.co/yUTdLnWu4j

— Alajuelense Oficial (@ldacr) November 20, 2024

The Costa Rican side is the most well-positioned team at this moment to take the vacant spot left by Club Leon in the Club World Cup, as it currently holds the highest ranking in Concacaf, excluding clubs from MLS and Liga MX, which have already been assigned their entitled spots.

Alajuelense also won the Concacaf Central American Cup consecutively in 2023 and 2024, strengthening their argument to be awarded a spot in the Club World Cup.

Alajuelense quickly responded to comments made by Víctor Montagliani, the president of Concacaf, who publicly expressed support for Club Leon. 

LDA condena declaraciones del presidente de CONCACAF. pic.twitter.com/RMlbM3aFZY

— Alajuelense Oficial (@ldacr) March 24, 2025

The Club condemned the comments by Montagliani in an official statement published in the Club's socials. The statement partly reads:

In these statements, Mr. Montagliani expressed his explicit support for Club León—an institution currently excluded by FIFA due to violations of integrity rules related to multi-ownership—and expressed his desire for the club to be reinstated in the tournament, disregarding the ongoing legal process before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS), initiated by our institution.

Both Liga Deportiva Alajuelense and Club León are part of CONCACAF. Therefore, the statements of the president of the Confederation constitute a serious transgression of the duty of neutrality, the principle of impartiality, and the institutional loyalty that should govern the actions of any international sports authority.

Alajuelense have stirred up an intentional controversy with some strong backings

Alajuelense have put up argument that they must replace Club Leon immediately, but their case does not appear to be founded on the set rules or their acknowledgement. The club contends that if Leon is eliminated, they should be considered as the replacement from the Concacaf zone. 

Their arguments are based on the rules that dictate that there must be only two teams from one nation. At present, the US has two qualified teams: Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami (the latter being a controversial choice). Two qualified teams from Mexico are Pachuca and Monterrey.

Alajuelense have claimed that they are the next highest-ranked team and, as such, should be part of the competition. But the ranking they are quoting is an unofficial club ranking published by the IFFHS, which is not recognized by Concacaf or by FIFA.

Even if it was accepted, the second-placed team would not automatically qualify; they will have had to earn that right through the relevant qualifying tournaments, as the rules state.

FIFA will have the final say on which team will play in case Club Leon lose its appeal with the CAS and remain excluded from competition. This ruling could also provide the choice of inserting a third team from either Mexico or the USA since there are several teams from both nations ranked higher than Alajuelense.

Comunicado Oficial pic.twitter.com/zkH7HFmjNz

— Club León (@clubleonfc) March 21, 2025

Looking at the parties to the Alajuelense case poses many questions about possible destabilizing agendas. Alajuelense's legal team has close ties with Spain's La Liga and its top leadership. There is also a cooperation between La Liga and Costa Rica's league authority, UNAFUT.

The alliance is serious, as witnessed by the recent appointment of former La Liga executive José Carlos Loaiza Gallego as UNAFUT's executive director. La Liga and its president, Javier Tebas, have repeatedly attacked FIFA and the role of the Club World Cup in the football calendar.

Since UNAFUT has adopted a dissenting position and is pursuing lawsuit outside Europe, there is no sign that they will desist from trying to create confusion around this topic.

INACEPTABLE pic.twitter.com/tV9Y4Bf8ZF

— Club León (@clubleonfc) March 21, 2025

Club Leon is not yet out of the Club World Cup. Grupo Pachuca has provisions on the books similar to those of UEFA competitions which permit two teams with the same ownership to be in the competition at the same time.

CAS can rule that these provisions are adequate to permit Club Leon to remain in the competition, alleviating any doubt about conflicts of interest and potential manipulation.

What does it truly mean to be a world champion club? The FIFA Club World Cup provides the answer, pitting the best against one another in a quest for global dominance.

As the 21st edition of Club World Cup is ongoing, with highly competitive and strong clubs fighting for the ultimate glory, it is time to look back at the history of this tournament.

This article will explore all the past winners, top scorers, most successful teams, all at once.

FIFA Club World Cup: Past Winners

The FIFA Club World Cup, a tournament designed to crown the world's best club team, first took place in 2000. It then paused for several years, from 2001 through 2004, before returning as an annual event.

Now, 2025 marks the beginning of an entirely new era for the Club World Cup, featuring an expanded format and a fresh vision for global club football.

Check out the past winners list below:

FIFA Club World Cup: Top Scorers

Here comes the elite list where individual dominance shines:

FIFA Club World Cup: Most Successful Teams

Real Madrid holds the tag of most successful team in FIFA Club World Cup history with 5 titles. Check out the other clubs that follow:

• Real Madrid: 5 wins
• Barcelona: 3 wins
• Bayern Munich: 2 wins
• Corinthians: 2 wins

In the world of football, few clubs stand out like Chelsea FC. Their trophy cabinet tells a story of incredible success, proving that they have truly won it all!

With their recent UEFA Conference League 4-1 victory over Real Betis, Chelsea completed a historic sweep of all major UEFA titles.

Here is trophy cabinet of Chelsea FC that defines their successful journey in the football world. Take a look.

European Royalty: Conquering the Continent

Chelsea have battled across the continent's most prestigious stages and won every major UEFA club trophy, a feat few clubs can claim.

Their crowning achivements including 2 UEFA Champions League titles, notable defeating Bayern Munich [1-1 (4-3 pens)] in 2012 and Manchester City (1-0) in 2021.

Beyond the Champions League, Chelsea also lifted the UEFA Europa League twice (2013, 2019), and the now-defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1971, famously against Real Madrid in the replay, and also in 1998.

Additionally, two UEFA Super Cup victories (1998, 2021) further highlight their continental dominance.

The collection was completed with their 2025 UEFA Conference League triumph, where Chelsea FC beat Real Betis 4-1 in the final.

The domestic dominance of Chelsea FC

Beyond their European conquests, they have also established as masters of England by securing highest domestic honors.

The Blues clinched the First Division/Premier League title and impress six times (1955, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2015, 2017) along with eight FA Cup victories (1970, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018). This makes them the competition's most successful team.

Their domestic dominance also extends to League Cup, which they have won five times in the following years: 1965, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2015.

Completing the Set: Global and Historic Honors

Chelsea's trophy cabinet truly lives upto the "won it all" status by having a collection of unique, historical, and global titles.

The FIFA Club World Cup win over Palmeiras (2-1) in 2021, made them only London club to win the Champions League as well as FIFA Club WC.

Further adding to their phenomenal collection are four Charity/Community Shield triumphs (1955, 2000, 2005, 2009), which mark their traditional early-season dominance.

As we move down to the final count, Chelsea also holds two Full Members' Club Victories (1986, 1990).

A look at Chelsea's Trophy Cabinet:

Trent John Alexander-Arnold has become a symbol of modern football excellence during his time at Liverpool Football Club. He made his senior debut in 2016 under Jurgen Klopp.

Trent quickly became a regular in the first team, changing the right-back role with his creativity, accurate passing, and attacking style.

One of Arnold's biggest moments came in the 2018–19 Champions League, during the famous semi-final comeback against Barcelona at Anfield. That season, Liverpool went on to win their sixth Champions League title, with Trent playing a crucial role throughout the tournament.

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Domestically, Alexander-Arnold was instrumental in Liverpool's 2019–20 Premier League title win, their first in 30 years.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's Stats for Liverpool FC (Overall)

Total Matches Played - 352

Goals Scored - 23

Assists Made - 92 

During his time at Liverpool FC, Trent Alexander-Arnold has won the following titles: 

• UEFA Champions League - 1 (2018-19)
• FIFA Club World Cup - 1 (2020)
• Premier League - 2 (2019-20, 2024-25)
• UEFA Super Cup - 1 (2019-20)
• FA Cup - 1 (2022)
• English League Cup - 2 (2022, 2024)
• Community Shield - 1 (2022-23)

UEFA Champions League Stats for Liverpool

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UEFA Europa League

 FIFA Club World Cup Stats

Premier League Stats

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UEFA Super Cup Stats

FA Cup Stats

English League Stats

Community Shield

Club Leon boss Eduardo Berizzo has come out and slammed FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino over his team being omitted from the 2025 Club World Cup due to rules regarding multiple-club ownership.

“La FIFA ya prepara reemplazantes en vez de esperar a la decisión del TAS”

Eduardo Berizzo, D.T. de León, en conferencia de prensa @FeintSoccerMX #Leon #MundialDeClubes pic.twitter.com/22cRZdFVc0

— Danna Cervantes (@dannapcervantes) April 16, 2025

In March, FIFA decided that Leon were not qualified to play in the first 32-team competition after they failed to match FIFA's multi-club ownership requirements, and Infantino has since donated their place in a playoff game between Club America and Los Angeles FC.

But the Mexican club has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and, at a news conference, Berizzo had some strong words against the decision.

Read Also | FIFA considering play-off game to replace Club Leon at the Club World Cup 2025

Club Leon boss slams FIFA and Infantino

Club Leon's head coach, Eduardo Berizzo, discussed how the decision has affected the team's performance after the club lost to Cruz Azul. He stated:

The FIFA President cannot comment on a supposed replacement without waiting for the ruling. I think his words carry significant weight and he shouldn’t have commented; he should have remained neutral until the CAS ruling.

The rules of competition of the 2025 Club World Cup declared that clubs owned by the same legal entity cannot compete. FIFA decided that Leon and the other Mexican clubs competing in the tournament belonged to the same ownership structure, but Berizzo has criticized FIFA for the lack of transparency. He said:

If the world were the way I wanted it to be, people like that wouldn’t lead organisations like this. FIFA must demonstrate that it is an organisation of integrity, and it isn’t. In the past, it hasn’t been."

Not only with our elimination, but with all this, which involves a fix, a hidden interest to see which team goes, who doesn’t , why teams go, why others leave or why you get eliminated. As long as there’s no clarity or transparency about that, they’ll always remain suspects."

We live in a football world, in organisations and institutions that, instead of representing transparency and setting an example for all citizens, increasingly make us suspicious and make us feel small in the face of what’s happening."

In a football world where everyone should feel supported, a part of, and proud to be a part of, sometimes you feel like running away.

The Leon boss also targeted his country's national association, the Mexican Football Federation. Berizzo claimed:

You feel treated unfairly; you feel part of a football system governed by individuals who work for subterranean interests that make decisions. It's very striking that the Mexican Football Federation hasn't said a word about this issue.

Read Also | FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule

FIFA is reportedly considering the possibility of arranging a one-game play-off between Major League Soccer (MLS) club Los Angeles FC and Liga MX giants Club America to decide which team will represent the expelled Club Leon at the 2025 Club World Cup.  

🤯🇲🇽 BREAKING: FIFA has drawn up plans to hold a one-game playoff between Club America and LAFC to determine a replacement team for Club Leon at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. 🇺🇸🏆

Via @lizzy_becherano - @espn pic.twitter.com/ZVFSfcZPZ6

— All Fútbol MX 🇲🇽 (@AllFutbolMX) March 30, 2025

A FIFA spokesperson disclosed on Sunday that the organization is actively weighing the feasibility of this play-off match, whereas the winner of this playoff would also receive $9.55 million in prize money given by FIFA to teams qualified from the Concacaf zone.

However, FIFA's consideration does not include the Costa Rican side Deportiva Alajuelense after the club lodged a complaint in 2024, which led to Leon's subsequent removal from the tournament.

Read Also | FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule

The controversial exclusion of Club Leon

Costa Rican outfit Alajuelense’s complaint regarding the multi-ownership issue initiated the investigation by the FIFA Appeal Committee back in November 2024, which eventually led to Club Leon’s exclusion.

FIFA announced the decision to expel the Mexican side Club Leon from the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup 2025 last week due to the club's shared ownership with Pachuca, another team that competes in Mexico's top division, Liga MX.

TODOS LO GANAMOS, JUNTOS LO DEFENDEMOS.

Más unidos que nunca.#SerFieraEsUnOrgullo 🦁 pic.twitter.com/BEXp7VbCjl

— Club León (@clubleonfc) March 31, 2025

Pachuca also qualified for the Club World Cup after winning the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, while Club Leon earned its qualification after clinching the 2023 edition of the same tournament. However, Grupo Pachuca owns both the teams and holds stakes in Spanish side Real Oviedo and some other clubs as well.

This joint ownership violated the multi-club ownership requirements defined under Article 10, paragraph 1 of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Regulations outlined by FIFA.

FIFA is considering a play-off game to replace Leon

According to different sources, FIFA is considering an unconventional approach to organize a single play-off game to determine which team would replace Club Leon in the competition.

Renowned football journalist Ben Jacobs has indicated a showdown between Club America and Los Angeles FC is on the cards, with the winner securing the coveted last place in the Group D, consisting of Chelsea, Flamengo, and Esperance.

The FIFA spokesperson stated the following on Sunday:

LAFC would participate as runner-up to Club Léon in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League through which Club Léon had qualified, Club América would participate as the top-ranked team in the FIFA Club World Cup confederation ranking through which qualification is also determined.

The winner of the play-off would qualify unless legal proceedings rule otherwise.

The plans to commence the process of arranging a play-off will begin if Club Leon loses their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to be reinstated to the Club World Cup.

CAS has called for a hearing on April 23 in Madrid, Spain, where Leon and Deportiva Alajuelense both will be presented the opportunity to put forward their arguments. Alajuelense had previously filed the complaint at CAS, asserting that León's inclusion was against FIFA regulations as they have also claimed a spot in the tournament instead.

Read Also | Costa Rican side Deportiva Alajuelense demand Club World Cup spot following Club Leon's exclusion

Both clubs must submit their legal documents by April 2, prior to the hearing on the 23rd. Any announcements concerning a possible substitute will likely not be made until the legal issues are settled.

"I think it's a grave injustice": James Rodriguez expressed his disappointment

The exclusion of Club Leon has heavily affected the Mexican side's talisman player, the Colombian star James Rodriguez. The former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder did not hesitate to express his disappointment regarding this decision. He said:

I think it's a grave injustice. We all believe that. We won on the pitch. The club and the players are hurt by this. If we're out, it's not fair. The team that would replace us would be stained, and football would be stained.

So many fans have planned to travel to the tournament; how do you tell them that they can't go? I have a lot of questions about all this. It's odd. I think FIFA has to get their things together. Football is stained by this. 

ESPN revealed that when asked about qualifying for the tournament, Club América head coach Andre Jardine assured his team's eagerness to earn the spot by battling on the field. According to him:

León should go to the Club World Cup. I'm sad for the institution, and I'd like them to find a solution so they can go,

"If it doesn't happen, then América has been doing things well for a long time. It's true that they haven't yet won the Concacaf Champions Cup, which is a dream of ours and a very clear objective.

"We're leading most of the Mexican tournaments and the Concacaf ranking, which is one of the criteria. If you ask me if I want to go to the Club World Cup, of course it's true, but I'd like to go to the Club World Cup by achieving it on the field. That's what we're working towards.

However, nothing has been finalized yet, and FIFA will also have to wait until the CAS hearing is able to curve out any solutionary measure. 

Read Also | FIFA announce Club World Cup 2025 prize money: USD 1 billion pool, winner to get record USD 125 million