The Mexican football club Leon has been disqualified from the Club World Cup after the appeals committee of the International Football Federation (FIFA) upheld a ruling that found a violation of the regulations regarding joint club ownership.

Both Leon and the Mexican club Pachuca had qualified for the World Cup in the USA; however, they share the same ownership under the Pachuca group.

“Upon reviewing all relevant evidence, the chair of the FIFA appeals committee concluded that CF Pachuca and Club Leon did not satisfy the ownership criteria,” FIFA stated in an official announcement.

FIFA also indicated that they will announce Leon’s replacement in the global club tournament at a later date.

Prior to the decision, the Pachuca group claimed that their clubs operated independently and had promised a sale of Leon, which has yet to materialize.

The Pachuca group expressed their intention to appeal this ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

“We disagree with this decision and will pursue every possible route to appeal because all evidence supports our administrative independence. We will stand firm on what we have earned on the field,” the Pachuca group conveyed in a statement.

Recently, Leon acquired Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez to enhance their competitiveness in Group D of the Club World Cup, where they will face off against Brazil’s Flamengo, Tunisia’s Esperance, and Chelsea.

The participation of two clubs under the same ownership came under scrutiny following a request from Costa Rican club Alajuelense, which urged FIFA to enforce the ownership ban.

Four teams from the North American, Central American, and Caribbean Association Football Confederation (CONCACAF) qualified for the Club World Cup: Seattle, Monterrey, Leon, and Pachuca, while Inter Miami received a special invitation from FIFA.

This edition of the Club World Championship will be historic, featuring 32 teams for the first time, and is scheduled to take place from June 14th to July 13th.

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