The case of Club Leon, excluded from the 2025 Club World Cup for failing to meet the multi-ownership criteria, has reached the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
In an official statement, CAS announced that it has registered the individual appeals filed by Club León and Club de Fútbol Pachuca (Pachuca) against FIFA on April 2, 2025. Currently, the parties are exchanging written submissions for these appeals, in accordance with CAS arbitration rules.
The hearings for these appeals will take place during the week of May 5, 2025. Furthermore, a separate CAS proceeding is ongoing regarding an appeal filed by Asociación Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (LDA) against Club León, Pachuca, and FIFA, submitted in February 2025. LDA challenges the participation of Club León and Pachuca in the Club World Cup, arguing that it violates regulations and that one or both clubs should be excluded.
LDA also requests to be admitted to the competition in place of any excluded team, as the next eligible club. This case will be heard by CAS in person in Madrid on April 23, 2025. CAS proceedings are confidential, and no further comments will be made while they are ongoing.