Mexico’s Club León has been excluded from this year’s Club World Cup after losing their appeal on Tuesday, following a disqualification by FIFA due to an infringement of ownership regulations.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed León’s challenge, despite the club having secured a spot in the tournament by emerging victorious in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
“This represents significant harm to a club that has consistently competed with integrity and humility,” León stated in their official announcement.
“Our only path forward is to achieve victory once more and reclaim the position on the pitch that has been unjustly taken from us. Rest assured, provided no obstacles are placed in our way, we will accomplish this.”
The expanded Club World Cup, featuring 32 teams, is slated to take place from June 14 to July 13 in the United States, with a staggering $1 billion in prize money available.
In addition to champions from each confederation’s top club tournaments, teams also qualified based on their rankings derived from performances over the previous four years.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that the governing body plans to organise a playoff between Los Angeles FC and Club América to determine which team will take León’s place in the tournament.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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