FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed a playoff between LAFC and Club América could determine the final team competing at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
The newly expanded Club World Cup, unfolding across the United States this summer, features 32 teams all battling for a cut of a record $1 billion prize pool. The participating teams, including Real Madrid and Manchester City, already qualified for the competition, but a recent controversy saw another qualified side, Club León, pulled from the tournament.
Back in March, FIFA disqualified Club León from competing in this summer's Club World Cup after it became apparent that the club is owned by Grupo Pachuca, the same group that owns fellow Liga MX outfit, Pachuca. Teams with the same ownership are not allowed to participate in the 2025 Club World Cup, and therefore Club León were forced to give up their spot in the tournament.
Club León's disqualification leaves a place open for another club to qualify for the competition, and if FIFA has its way, it will be either LAFC or Club América. First, though, FIFA must wait for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to rule on Club León's appeal.
"In a couple of weeks we will have the final and definitive decision. We will respect any decision," Infantino said.
"What we are looking at is that, if CAS confirms the decision of the Appeals Committee, FIFA's intention is to play a match, a playoff, between the team that lost the final of the Concacaf Champions League, LAFC, and the next team in the ranking, which is América."
The playoff would go on to determine the final club participating in the tournament this summer in place of Club León.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as FIFA Confirms the Two Teams to Battle for Final Club World Cup Place.
