FIFA Warned It and Has Delivered, the Club That Has Been Expelled from the Club World Cup

One of the competitions Real Madrid is most interested in winning this season, in addition to the three in which they have already advanced considerably, is the Club World Cup. This newly introduced tournament, recently presented by FIFA for the current soccer season, is a great opportunity for any team involved in the competition.

Not only for the chance to be the best club on the planet for a span of four years, but also for the significant amount of prize money the winner would receive. That is precisely one of the objectives of the board of directors led by Florentino Pérez... given that the white leaders have always shown their priority for Real Madrid's economic 'health'.

In any case, the Club World Cup is at the center of a striking controversy due to the expulsion of one of the clubs that was already qualified for the group stage. Club León, placed in group D with Flamengo, Espérance Tunis, and Chelsea, has been removed from the spot they had earned on the field.

FIFA has made the decision based on the Club World Cup regulations related to multi-ownership. Because Club León, from the Mexican League, is owned by Grupo Pachuca... which also controls Club Pachuca, also qualified for this Club World Cup.

Decisive Decision

Due to the inability to prove, according to FIFA, that both clubs operated independently, the entity presided over by Gianni Infantino has expelled James Rodríguez's team from that competition. The reaction of the 'fiera' team, through an official statement, has been very decisive... as they announce that "we will go to the ultimate consequences in the highest sports courts" to achieve readmission to the Club World Cup.

Jesús Martínez Patiño, owner of both clubs, already acknowledged that he had to sell Club León for both teams to have access to competitions like this tournament organized by FIFA in the summer. So far, that change of ownership has not occurred, which is why the leaders of the International Federation have immediately revoked Club León's spot.

The Mexican entity warns, in its official statement, that they earned the spot "on the field" thanks to their victory in the 2023 CONCACAF Cup. Meanwhile, they point out that the strict multi-ownership rules were not in effect when Club León and Pachuca qualified for the World Cup.

In any case, it doesn't seem that FIFA is willing to change its mind. The organization led by Gianni Infantino has left James Rodríguez's team out of the Club World Cup... leaving the Mexican Pachuca, the club Real Madrid will face in the group stage, among the potential world champions.