FIFA eye playoff between LAFC and Mexico's America for Leon's Club World Cup place
Soccer Football - 49th UEFA Ordinary Congress - Sava Congress Centar, Belgrade, Serbia - April 3, 2025 FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the congress REUTERS/Zorana Jevtic/File Photo
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said they will look to hold a playoff between Los Angeles FC and Club America for a place at the Club World Cup after it removed Club Leon from the tournament last month.
Leon were pulled from the June 14-July 13 tournament over multi-club ownership rules, though the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has registered Leon's appeal against the decision.
"In a couple of weeks we will have the final and definitive decision, we will respect any decision," Infantino told reporters at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday.
"What we are looking at is that, if CAS confirms the decision of the Appeals Committee, FIFA's intention is to play a match, a playoff, between the team that lost the final of the CONCACAF Champions League, LAFC, and the next team in the ranking, which is America."
World soccer's governing body has said $1 billion prize money will be on offer at the expanded 32-team competition.
