LOS ANGELES, California — Los Angeles FC (LAFC) and Club America will battle for the final spot in the FIFA Club World Cup on May 31 at BMO Stadium, FIFA announced on Friday. This playoff match comes after Club Leon was expelled from the tournament due to violations of ownership rules.
Club America, a top Mexican club, will face LAFC to secure a place in Group D for the upcoming tournament scheduled from June 14 to July 13. The decision followed Club Leon’s disqualification after an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) was rejected due to multi-club ownership regulations.
“We are excited about this opportunity to play in the Club World Cup,” said LAFC Head Coach Steve Cherundolo. “We know how much it means to our fans and our city.”
The playoff will kick off at 7:30 PM local time and will be streamed globally for free on DAZN. DAZN holds the exclusive broadcast rights for the Club World Cup.
Earlier this year, FIFA confirmed that both Club Leon and Pachuca were disqualified after Grupo Pachuca, which owns both clubs, failed to comply with regulations regarding ownership of multiple clubs in the same competition.
“The rules are clear, and compliance is essential to maintain the integrity of the competition,” FIFA stated in a press release regarding the decision.
With Club Leon now out, the playoff winner will take their place alongside Chelsea, Tunisian club ES Tunis, and Brazilian side Flamengo in Group D.
LAFC previously lost to Club Leon in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League final, while Club America holds the title of the highest-ranking Concacaf team not already qualified for the tournament.
The 2025 Club World Cup features 32 teams, including several of the best clubs from around the globe. The inclusion of LAFC and Club America adds to the excitement as teams prepare to compete within the revamped structure of the tournament.
Whoever wins the playoff will kick off their campaign on June 16 against Chelsea in Atlanta, followed by matches against ES Tunis and Flamengo.
The stakes are high, with a prize pool of $1 billion for the competition, and the playoff winner could stand to make significant earnings if they succeed.
Fans eagerly await the confirmation of this monumental playoff matchup, which promises to be a thrilling encounter between two of the region’s top clubs.
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