On 21 March 2025, FIFA excluded Club León from Mexico from the upcoming 2025 Club World Cup due to its shared ownership with Club de Fútbol Pachuca (CF Pachuca). This case brief summarizes the decision taken by the FIFA Appeals Committee (decision attached).
Case
CF Pachuca and Club León are clubs owned by Grupo Pachuca, a company that has been criticized for ambiguity about the operational and financial independence of both teams. Both institutions qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 after winning the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF Champions League: Club León in 2023 and CF Pachuca in 2024).
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