Confirmed: Club América and LAFC to playoff for León’s place at Club World Cup

Club América and Los Ángeles FC may be given a unique opportunity to participate at the Club World Cup. As things stand Club León have been sidelined from participating due to a breach in multi club ownership rules with the Liga MX side taking the matter up with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Club León and Pachuca CF are both controlled by Grupo Pachuca with FIFA clamping down on two teams from one ownership group partaking in their competition.

The CAS ruling is expected in the first week of May, but already rumours suggest that the ruling will go against the Mexican side leaving a vacant place at the inaugural 32 team Club World Cup.

Who would take León’s place?

A few weeks ago it was leaked that FIFA would put in place ae a “playoff” game to decide what CONCACAF side would replace La Fiera. The game seems set to pit the last runner-up of the Concachampions (LAFC) and the number one in the ranking of Concacaf clubs (until 2024), Club América of the Liga MX.

Today Gianni Infantino confirmed that these two clubs are the chosen ones that could take the Esmeraldas’ place stating: “The case will be decided by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In a couple of weeks we will have the final and definitive resolution, we will respect any decision. What is being looked at is that, if the CAS confirms the decision of the Appeal Committee, FIFA’s intention is to play a match, a playoff, between the team that lost the Concacaf Champions League final, LAFC, and the next team in the ranking, which is América," said the FIFA President at an event related to the Club World Cup held in Atlanta, United States.

When will the LAFC vs. América game be made official?

Infantino said that we would have to wait until May 6, the day on which the CAS would give its ruling on whether León will play or not in the Club World Cup, if it is confirmed that they will not be permitted to play, details of the play-off game would be offered by FIFA relating to date and venue.

With both clubs already been eliminated from the current Concachampions, scheduling a one-off clash shouldn’t pose logistical complications with early indications suggesting that the game could be staged late May.

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