According to reports, CAS has issued its final verdict, confirming FIFA’s decision to exclude Club León, where Jaime Rodríguez plays, from the Club World Cup. Now, only one spot remains, and two teams, Club América and Los Angeles FC, will compete for it in a decisive match. The winner will advance to the summer tournament in the United States.

This ruling follows complaints from three clubs—León, Pachuca, and Alajuelense—all challenging FIFA’s decision to exclude Mexico’s representative from the Club World Cup.

In March 2025, FIFA’s Appeals Committee announced that Club León and Pachuca had violated the 2025 Club World Cup regulations. According to Article 10.1, multi-club ownership is prohibited, leading FIFA’s Secretary-General to exclude León from the competition. Both clubs appealed to CAS, seeking to overturn the ban and regain eligibility.

Additionally, Costa Rican club Alajuelense requested to replace one of the excluded Mexican teams if the ban was upheld.

All appeals were consolidated into a single case at CAS, with a hearing held on May 5, 2025, in Lausanne, Switzerland. The arbitration panel, chaired by Professor Roberto Moreno of Paraguay, included Professor Massimo Coccia of Italy and Dr. Daniel Cravo Souza of Brazil.

After reviewing the evidence, including León’s attempts to transfer ownership to a third party, the panel concluded that these actions were insufficient to rectify the violation and were inconsistent with FIFA’s regulations.

As a result, all three appeals were dismissed. Club León remains excluded from the Club World Cup, while Pachuca retains its eligibility. Alajuelense’s appeal was also rejected in a separate hearing held on April 23 in Madrid.

Final Battle for the Last Remaining Spot

Now, only one spot remains, and a decisive match between Club América and Los Angeles FC will determine which team advances to the summer tournament in the U.S. The match is expected to be intense and highly anticipated.