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The FIFA Club World Cup continues to make international headlines ahead of its inaugural edition in its new format later this year. It was announced on May 6, 2025, that Mexican team Leon will be unable to compete in the competition after losing their appeal against FIFA at The Court of Arbitration of Sport.
The team were attempting to overturn a decision by the sport’s governing body that barred Leon from competing due to being under the same ownership group as fellow qualifier Pachuca. It was deemed by the courts that the evidence provided was ‘insufficient to comply with the regulations’.
But ….. Manchester City?
FIFA have been extremely slow to act on the impending mess surrounding the same ownership of Pachuca and Leon. It would have been something that the governing body would have been aware of five months ago when Leon were allowed into the draw for the competition.
The same-ownership rules are in operation to protect the integrity of the sport, especially at the major revamped club edition of the World Cup. Under the rules, two clubs from the same ownership group aren’t eligible to qualify. The rules are nothing new, as European fans will be aware of the same rules that have been in place for UEFA competitions for the last 20 years.
However, in UEFA competitions, there are typically workarounds, which see management changes. This has ensured teams such as Red Bull-owned Leipzig and Salzburg have been able to compete in the Champions League, as well as Girona and Manchester City, who are both owned by the same company.
FIFA Announces Playoff Match
As a result, there will be a playoff match at an undetermined date to determine the team that will replace Leon in this summer’s competition. The one-game playoff will see Club America and LAFC square off, and the match must be played before June 14, 2025, when the tournament is set to kick off.
LAFC is one of the favorite teams to win the MLS Cup, as you can see here: youbet.com/soccer/mls-cup-winner-odds/
It will be a huge occasion for both teams as the newly formatted competition has established a prize fund of $1 billion, meaning that the winning team in the playoff could stand to pocket an eye-watering $10 million by participating in the competition this summer.
When Will The Match Be Played?
The big question now revolves around when a potential playoff match can be played, as the schedules of both Club America and LAFC have been set for a couple of months. There are limited windows in order to play a high pressure match such as the playoff.
LAFC will be playing matches every four days up until the start of the tournament in June, with their only break coming between May 18 and 24.
Club America’s schedule is more challenging to work out at this stage, as they come up against, ironically, Pachuca in two legs of the Clausura Quarterfinals on May 7 and May 10. Progression from that last eight tie will mean that they will then have to set a date for a semi-final clash.
However, Club America will need to make adjustments to their schedule if they are able to achieve qualification to the Club World Cup, as they are currently pencilled in to play San Diego FC on June 20.
Who Will The Playoff Winners Face?
The draw for the inaugural edition of the new-look Club World Cup was completed in Switzerland at the start of the year. Therefore, the winner of the playoff tie between LAFC and Club America will also know who they will be playing against in North America this summer.
The winning team will kick off their campaign on June 16, 2025 against Chelsea in Atlanta, before then facing off against Tunisian side Esperance de Tunis in Nashville. Their Group D campaign will then be rounded off with a clash against Flamengo at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
The playoff clash will be a huge occasion, as Group D is one of the most open in the draw. Winning the group could set up a fascinating tie against one of Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, or Benfica. Meanwhile, a runner-up finish in the opening round could set up a mouth-watering showdown against the winner’s of the same group.
Which Teams Are Involved This Summer?
A total of 32 teams will compete at the FIFA Club World Cup this summer, marking its first staging since being revamped. The last four winners of continiental competitions in the CONMEBOL and UEFA regions will be involved, as well as four teams from each of the AFC, CAF, and CONCACAF areas.
Major teams that will be vying for the title in 2025 will be made up of those from Europe. Those include recent Champions League winners such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Chelsea.
