One of the 2025 Club World Cup teams have recently been expelled from the tournament and it has since been revealed why FIFA reached this decision.
Mexican professional football team Club Leon has been expelled from the extended 2025 Club World Cup after FIFA's appeals committee upheld a ruling that the team breached the tournament's protocol.
The Liga MX powerhouse was drawn in Group D of the Club World Cup alongside Brazil's Flamengo, Elias Mokwana's Espérance Sportive Tunis from Tunisia, and English Premier League giants Chelsea FC.
However, FIFA has now disqualified Leon, stating that their owner is the same as that of CF Pachuca from Mexico, a team that has also qualified for the Club World Cup.
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According to the world's football governing body, two teams owned by the same individual cannot participate simultaneously in the tournament as it contravenes their regulations.
FIFA announced on Friday that Leon has officially been disqualified.
''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,'' FIFA said in a statement.
Nonetheless, Leon later released a statement through Grupo Pachuca contending that the clubs functioned independently and expressed their intention to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
''FIFA has notified Club León that we will not participate in the upcoming 2025 Club World Cup, the organization's Secretary General decided that our team must leave its place in the competition despite having earned it fairly and professionally on the field, obtaining the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League title. This measure is cruel and unfair, and we do not agree with it. We do not know who it benefits, but we do know who it harms, our fans,'' Leon stated.
''Club León complied at all times with the corresponding processes, submitted to all the expert reports, hearings, and investigations required in recent months, delivering all the documentation requested by FIFA in an absolutely timely and transparent manner.
''We are an independent, autonomous, and sovereign team. Let there be no doubt. We reiterate our annoyance and indignation at this decision, which violates the spirit of fair competition and affects many people: fans, workers, players, and coaches
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''Club León will use all available means to appeal this decision and we will go to the very end to defend our place in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. We will remain firm, confident, and together in this process.''
Leon's replacement has yet to be revealed, with the world's club-level prestigious competition scheduled to take place from June 14 to July 13, 2025, in the United States.
According to ESPN, investigations concerning this matter are currently in progress, being conducted by an independent committee appointed by FIFA, which necessitates Leon to demonstrate that they operate as independent entities.