LAFC vs Club America: High-Stakes Playoff for FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Spot
LAFC and Club America face a winner-takes-all playoff match for the final berth in the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after Club Leon's disqualification.
Playoff Drama for Club World Cup Spot
In a stunning turn of events, Major League Soccer's LAFC and Liga MX powerhouse Club America may collide in a high-stakes playoff match to determine the final participant in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. This comes after Club Leon's disqualification due to FIFA's multi-club ownership rules concerning their relationship with fellow qualifiers Pachuca.
The Road to the Showdown
- LAFC narrowly missed qualification after falling to Club Leon in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League final
- Club America emerged as the highest-ranked non-qualified team in CONCACAF rankings
- The winner claims a spot in Group D alongside Chelsea, Flamengo, and Esperance Sportive de Tunisie
FIFA's Official Stance
FIFA confirmed in a statement:
"We are considering one play-off match between LAFC and Club America for the right to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025."
Legal Challenges Continue
While this playoff scenario develops:
- Club Leon has appealed to CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport)
- Costa Rica's Alajuelense, who originally filed the complaint against Leon, also has an ongoing appeal
- Both cases will be heard on April 23
Star Power on Display
LAFC brings serious firepower to this potential matchup:
- Olivier Giroud (former Arsenal striker) leading the attack
- Hugo Lloris (France's former World Cup-winning captain) between the posts
Tournament Details
The expanded 32-team Club World Cup will:
- Be hosted across the United States
- Run from June 15 to July 13, 2025
- Feature eight groups of four teams each
Current Group Stage Draw
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| A | Palmeiras, FC Porto, Al-Ahly, Inter Miami |
| B | PSG, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders |
| C | Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica |
| D | Flamengo, Esperance, Chelsea, (TBD) |
| E | River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan |
| F | Fluminense, Dortmund, Ulsan, Sundowns |
| G | Man City, Wydad, Al-Ain, Juventus |
| H | Real Madrid, Al-Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg |
Note: Club Leon was originally drawn in Group D before disqualification.
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