Excitement has been building ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which will bring together top clubs and stars from around the globe. However, controversy struck during the international break, as Club Leon was expelled from the tournament just three months before kickoff. One week after the decision, team star James Rodriguez publicly criticized FIFA over the ruling.
With fewer than 100 days until the tournament begins, FIFA made the drastic decision to officially remove Club Leon from the revamped Club World Cup. In response, several players have spoken out—most notably Rodríguez, who didn’t hesitate to address the situation.
“I think that if we’re out (of the Club World Cup), it’s something that’s not fair. I believe that the team that ends up going instead will bring shame to soccer. It’s not fair to anyone—to the entire club that has achieved great things. And especially to all the people who’ve spent money; fans who went into debt just to be able to go. And now, how do you tell them they’re not going?,” the star candidly said on Friday’s press conference.
Rodriguez went on to demand more transparency from FIFA, questioning the motivations behind the decision: “I think there are interests that go beyond many things. I have doubts about all of that. It’s strange. I believe there’s a big interest in making sure someone else is there. I think FIFA needs to step up. I have doubts, I really do. And I believe soccer is being stained.”
The first edition of the expanded Club World Cup is scheduled to kick off on June 14. With many fans having already bought tickets in anticipation of seeing their team compete, the decision to remove Leon appears irreversible—and no official replacement has been announced yet.
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Why were Club Leon expelled from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?
FIFA issued a statement explaining that Club Leon was disqualified due to issues related to multi-club ownership. The organization claimed that Leon failed to provide sufficient evidence to refute its connection with Grupo Pachuca, which also owns Pachuca CF.
Under tournament regulations, clubs with shared ownership cannot both participate in the Club World Cup. As a result, FIFA opted to retain Pachuca CF—who had qualified earlier—while excluding Club León from the competition.
