Chelsea’s preparations for this summer’s Club World Cup have been disrupted by FIFA’s decision to remove one of their scheduled opponents, Mexican side Club Leon, from the tournament.
The Blues, heading to the United States as one of the favorites for a deep run, were initially drawn into Group D alongside Leon, Brazilian powerhouse Flamengo, and Esperance Sportive de Tunis from Tunisia.
Scouting reports were likely being drawn up for all three teams, but Chelsea will now need to adjust after FIFA confirmed that Club Leon would be expelled for breaching multi-club ownership rules. Leon is owned by Grupo Pachuca, which also owns Pachuca, another team competing in the tournament. FIFA determined that the two clubs could not operate as independent entities and decided to exclude Leon from the competition.
“We are dissatisfied with this decision, which we will appeal to the highest court of appeal and the highest sports court, as all the evidence and documentation proving our administrative and sporting independence was presented transparently and in good time,” a statement from Pachuca read.
Leon also responded, stating: “If Club Leon is prevented from participating in the 2025 Club World Cup with the same rights with which it earned its place, we will pursue this matter to the highest sporting courts.”
As of now, FIFA has yet to announce a replacement for Leon, who would have been in Group D with Chelsea. The Blues, who also operate under a multi-club ownership model, could potentially face the same issue if their French sister club Strasbourg qualifies for the same European competition as Chelsea next season.
FIFA has set aside a total prize pool of £775 million for the tournament, with Chelsea expected to earn around £50 million for their participation—possibly more if they progress far in the competition.
