The Looming Financial Impact of León’s Potential Exclusion

The upcoming Club World cup 2025 faces a potential financial setback.If Club León is barred from participating, FIFA stands to lose nearly $10 million. This stems from a controversy surrounding the club’s eligibility, casting a shadow over the highly anticipated tournament.

FIFA’s Prize Money Structure for the Expanded Club world Cup

FIFA has unveiled the financial incentives for the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup,scheduled to take place this summer in the United States. These awards include guaranteed payments to each participating team,varying based on their respective confederations. The distribution model, according to FIFA, is “based on sports and commercial criteria.”

Hear’s a breakdown of the guaranteed participation fees:

• UEFA (Europe): $12.81 million to $38.19 million
• CONMEBOL (South America): $15.21 million
• concacaf (North, Central America, and caribbean): $9.55 million
• AFC (asia): $9.55 million
• CAF (Africa): $9.55 million
• OFC (Oceania): $3.58 million

Beyond the initial participation fee, teams can earn additional prize money based on their performance in the tournament:

• $1 million per draw in the group stage
• $2 million per win in the group stage
• $7.5 million for winning in the round of 16
• $13.12 million for winning in the quarterfinals
• $21 million for winning in the semifinals
• $30 million for finishing as runner-up
• $40 million for winning the championship

The Controversy Surrounding Club León’s Eligibility

Concacaf has been allocated five slots for the 2025 Club World Cup. Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders from the United states’ MLS, along with Monterrey and Pachuca from Mexico’s MX league, have already secured their places. León initially completed the quintet, but their participation is now uncertain due to allegations of multi-ownership, which FIFA has sanctioned.

FIFA released a statement indicating that, “In accordance with article 10, paragraph 4, of the 2025 Club World Cup regulations, FIFA has resolute that León is retired from the competition and that the substitute team is announced in a timely manner,” citing the fact that León and Pachuca share the same owner (Pachuca Group, belonging to the Martínez Munguía family).

Despite this statement, León’s name and logo remain on the official tournament website, creating further ambiguity.

legal Battles and the Road Ahead for León

León has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS) and is challenging the allegations brought forth by Costa Rican side Alajuelense, who claim León’s multi-ownership violates tournament regulations. A hearing is scheduled for April 23rd in Madrid, just weeks before the start of the Club World Cup. León had been drawn into Group D alongside Chelsea (England), Flamengo (Brazil), and Esperance Sportive (Tunisia).

This hearing represents León’s last chance to secure their spot in the Club World Cup,a place they earned by defeating Los Angeles FC in the 2023 Concachampions.

If FIFA’s decision stands, León will forfeit the $9.55 million participation fee allocated to each Concacaf representative, a sum already guaranteed for Rayados, Pachuca, Seattle Sounders, and Inter Miami.

Club León’s Response and Future Prospects

On March 22nd, Club León posted on social media: To give him, that this trial will not win alone. New day, new hopes and renewed spirit. We shake our dust,we get up and to trust and work with sports justice.

Jesús Martínez Munguía, the club’s president, has stated,

We are going to fight to death in all the legal senses we can, we will give the whole legal issue to the TAS and we hope that FIFA reconsider this decision and that León can compete what was won on the court (…) Our greatest defence is that the regulation came out later. We have left in everything, advertising, draw and we were a few days ago.
Jesús Martínez Munguía, President of Club León

León’s only previous Club World Cup appearance was in 2023, coinciding with their Concachampions victory. The tournament, held in Saudi Arabia under the old seven-team format, saw León eliminated in the second round by Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds.

The 2025 tournament presents a historic prospect for León and all participating teams, featuring an unprecedented 32-team format, a summer schedule, and a staggering $1 billion prize pool.