FIFA Considers Match to Determine Final CONCACAF Spot in Club World Cup
Liga Deportiva Alajuelense faces potential exclusion as new developments unfold regarding CONCACAF's participation in FIFA tournament.
Reports have emerged citing significant changes to the qualification process for the FIFA Club World Cup, affecting Liga Deportiva Alajuelense's hopes of participation.
According to multiple sources, including sports journalist Lizzy Becherano, the FIFA is contemplating a match between Club América and Los Angeles FC to determine the final CONCACAF representative in the upcoming tournament.
This development comes amid concerns regarding Club León's eligibility, which is currently engaging in an appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding its qualification status.
The speculation suggests that should León's appeal be unsuccessful, the match between América and LAFC will serve to decide which team will claim the place at the Club World Cup.
César Luis Merlo, an acclaimed journalist specializing in transfer news, corroborated this information through his social media platform, where he detailed that FIFA officials have affirmed that the MLS runner-up and the highest-ranked CONCACAF team, Club América, would compete in a head-to-head match.
Merlo, known for his reliable sourcing, previously broke news about Neymar's return to Santos, underscoring his credibility in the sports journalism field.
Merlo posted updates indicating:
1. “FIFA confirms that the MLS team, runner-up in 2023, and Las Águilas of Club América, the highest ranked in the CONCACAF standings, will play against each other to determine which of the two qualifies for the Club World Cup.”
2. “FIFA has decided that América and LAFC will contest the place of León in the Club World Cup.”
If these reports are confirmed, it would signify a significant setback for Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, which has actively pursued its right to participate in the tournament.
The club contends that the ownership overlap between León and Pachuca, both Mexican teams, has led to issues of player ownership, resulting in FIFA's initial ruling favoring the Costa Rican club.
Alajuelense argues its claims are robust based on its historical achievements, having won the Central American Cup twice and standing as the highest-ranked non-Mexican team in the CONCACAF listings at the time of their appeal.
Details regarding the format of the potential match, whether it will be a single elimination game or a two-legged contest, have not been disclosed.
Additionally, the scheduling of this decisive fixture remains unclear.
The Club World Cup is set to take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025, featuring 32 teams divided into eight groups of four.
The tournament will occur across 12 venues in the United States.
According to multiple sources, including sports journalist Lizzy Becherano, the FIFA is contemplating a match between Club América and Los Angeles FC to determine the final CONCACAF representative in the upcoming tournament.
This development comes amid concerns regarding Club León's eligibility, which is currently engaging in an appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding its qualification status.
The speculation suggests that should León's appeal be unsuccessful, the match between América and LAFC will serve to decide which team will claim the place at the Club World Cup.
César Luis Merlo, an acclaimed journalist specializing in transfer news, corroborated this information through his social media platform, where he detailed that FIFA officials have affirmed that the MLS runner-up and the highest-ranked CONCACAF team, Club América, would compete in a head-to-head match.
Merlo, known for his reliable sourcing, previously broke news about Neymar's return to Santos, underscoring his credibility in the sports journalism field.
Merlo posted updates indicating:
1. “FIFA confirms that the MLS team, runner-up in 2023, and Las Águilas of Club América, the highest ranked in the CONCACAF standings, will play against each other to determine which of the two qualifies for the Club World Cup.”
2. “FIFA has decided that América and LAFC will contest the place of León in the Club World Cup.”
If these reports are confirmed, it would signify a significant setback for Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, which has actively pursued its right to participate in the tournament.
The club contends that the ownership overlap between León and Pachuca, both Mexican teams, has led to issues of player ownership, resulting in FIFA's initial ruling favoring the Costa Rican club.
Alajuelense argues its claims are robust based on its historical achievements, having won the Central American Cup twice and standing as the highest-ranked non-Mexican team in the CONCACAF listings at the time of their appeal.
Details regarding the format of the potential match, whether it will be a single elimination game or a two-legged contest, have not been disclosed.
Additionally, the scheduling of this decisive fixture remains unclear.
The Club World Cup is set to take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025, featuring 32 teams divided into eight groups of four.
The tournament will occur across 12 venues in the United States.
