Cas Rejects Club Leon Appeal Over Club World Cup Ban

Club Leon person grounded pinch an entreaty to nan Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) against FIFA's determination to region them from nan Club World Cup.

Fifa determined successful March that Club Leon and chap Mexican squad Pachuca did not meet tourney regulations connected multi-club ownership.

Because some clubs are owned by Grupo Pachuca, Fifa removed Club Leon from nan tourney which is being held successful nan United States from 15 June to 13 July.

Cas received abstracted appeals from Pachuca and Club Leon seeking to annul nan determination and state that nan clubs comply pinch nan Club World Cup eligibility requirements.

Club Leon besides revenge an further entreaty against nan determination by nan Fifa caput general, seeking to beryllium reinstated successful nan competition.

However, Cas upheld Fifa's original determination and said successful a connection that a sheet recovered that Club Leon "failed to meet nan criteria successful nan regulations".

"The sheet examined nan evidence, including nan Club Leon spot group up by nan owners of nan club, and concluded that this spot was insufficient to comply pinch nan regulations," said a Cas statement.

"Consequently, Club Leon remains excluded from nan title and Pachuca remains qualified."

Cas besides dismissed an entreaty made by Costa Rican broadside Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (LDA), who said they should beryllium admitted to nan Club World Cup arsenic nan adjacent eligible team.

LDA had lifted nan 2023 Central American Cup, but Cas said it rejected nan entreaty "with reasons to travel later" and said Fifa was "responsible for designating nan last qualified squad to participate".

As BBC Sport reported successful March, Major League Soccer broadside LAFC and Mexican squad Club America are now group to play a one-off play-off crippled for nan last spot successful nan Club World Cup.

LAFC were beaten by Club Leon successful nan 2023 Concacaf Champions League final, while Club America are nan highest-ranked squad down Club Leon successful confederation ranking that did not suffice for nan competition.

The winners of nan lucifer are group to return Club Leon's spot successful Group D alongside Chelsea, Flamengo and Esperance Sportive de Tunis.