Mexico’s Club Leon will miss out on this year’s Club World Cup after their appeal was dismissed on Tuesday. FIFA had previously excluded the team from the tournament for breaching ownership regulations.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld FIFA’s decision despite Leon having earned their spot by clinching the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2023.
“This represents the greatest harm inflicted on a club that has always competed with integrity and humility,” Leon expressed in a statement.
“All that remains for us is to triumph yet again to reclaim our rightful position on the pitch that has been unjustly taken from us. Rest assured, as long as nothing stands in our way, we will achieve this.”
The expanded 32-team Club World Cup is set to take place from June 14 to July 13 in the United States, boasting a staggering $1 billion in prize money.
In addition to the champions from each confederation’s main club competitions, teams have also qualified based on their performance rankings over the past four years.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced that the governing body will arrange a playoff between Los Angeles FC and Club America to determine which team will take Leon’s place in the tournament.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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